Eight Years
by Drivelicious
Summary: Hermione thought that using her time turner would help save lives; instead she found herself back in time and falling for the wrong Weasley. HG
1. Chapter 1

The battle was raging and Hermione was fighting for her life. She had no idea that just seconds ago her beloved headmaster had been killed. She had no idea that Harry was about to go chasing after Snape with thoughts of killing him in his head. She had no idea that Bill had been mauled by a werewolf. She had no idea if anyone would survive. All she could think was that she could stop all of this. If there had more warning it could have ended before it had begun and nobody would be fighting, nobody would be dying. She knew that it was wrong to abuse time, but it had worked before and she had to take a chance.

Hermione rushed into an alcove, pulled the time turner that she wore as jewelry out of her robes and gave it a turn. She anticipated going back only a couple of hours but at that precise moment, a curse was shot at her and she was sent flying into the wall behind her, hitting her head and losing consciousness. The time turner continued to spin, now out of her control.

"Ow!" Hermione whined as she sat up against the wall. She had finally awoke from the blast and was rubbing her head where she had a nice bump. Relieved that she was in fact still alive, she tucked the time turner into her robes and went searching for someone who could send the alert to the Order of the Phoenix and stop the attack that she assumed would be happening in only a matter of hours. She glanced at her watch and noticed that it was getting close to dinner time. She started to head down to the great hall hoping to find Professor McGonagall or Professor Dumbledore. At the very least she needed to find Ron and Harry. She knew that Harry would be going away with Dumbledore but she hoped that they hadn't left yet.

She was lost in thought as she walked but at one point she noticed that she was getting a few stares from people she didn't recognize. She thought that she knew everyone by sight at this point but she didn't take the time to stop and think about why there were so many strangers. Bursting into the great hall, she looked around and found the room nearly empty. It was still a little early for dinner so she headed out into the courtyard to see if she could find anyone who could help. With a sigh of relief she saw a tall boy with red hair who could only be Ron.

"Ron! Ron! Come with me, we've got to find Harry!" She yelled as she ran across the lawn. She didn't notice all the odd looks she was getting from the little groups of people enjoying the early evening. She started to get frustrated that Ron didn't answer her and made a mental note to yell at him about that later. Finally reaching the red head she grabbed him by the arm. "Ron! Hurry, we've got to find. . . "

Her words were silenced when the boy turned around and was not Ron. He was a Weasley all right, but this was the eldest. She found herself looking up at a much younger version of Bill Weasley.

"Now who are you?" He asked as he looked at the strange girl. "I'm not Ron, but I do have a younger brother by that name."

"Oh, I'm sorry; from behind you looked like a friend of mine." Hermione stammered as she took a few steps back. She looked around then and realized that other than Bill she didn't recognize a single person. Even the people with Bill, all in Gryffindor robes were strangers to her. She wasn't completely sure what was going on but she was beginning to get an idea. Her head started to ache and she pressed her hand to the bump that seemed to be growing as her stomach twisted.

"Hey, you don't look so well. Are you all right?" Bill asked as he stepped forward to put a steadying hand on her shoulder. He looked helplessly at his friends who only shrugged and looked confused. Hermione started to sway at that point and she vaguely felt Bill pick her up, remembering nothing after that.

"What are you going to do with her?" His friend Kevin asked.

"I suppose I should take to the hospital wing." Bill stated as he left his friends and walked toward the entrance, still carrying the petite girl in his arms. He wasn't sure who she was but he knew she wasn't well.

"Did you have to knock a girl out to get her in your arms?" A voice asked from behind him. Bill turned to look at his brother Charlie.

"Idiot. She's obviously not feeling well and I'm taking her to the hospital wing." Bill answered

"She's got a huge bump on her head. Who is she?"

Bill shifted Hermione to look at her head and sure enough she had a large bump and dried blood in her hair. That would cause the odd behavior but it didn't answer his question about who she was.

"I have no idea who she is but I've got to get her to Madame Pomfrey. Can you please go see if you can find Professor Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall? She's wearing Gryffindor colors so I assume she's in our house."

"I've never seen her in the common room before but I'll see who I can find." Charlie headed off to find a teacher and Bill continued on his way. Looking down at her he realized she was actually quite pretty and he didn't entirely mind having a pretty girl in his arms. He'd rather they be conscious but that was only a minor problem. As he arrived in the hospital wing, he walked over to the nearest bed and put her down, careful to tilt her head so she wouldn't put pressure on her wound.

"Madame Pomfrey?" He called as he walked toward her office. It was quiet in there today. He knew that after the Quidditch game on Sunday, it would be full. He fully expected to be visiting Charlie there in a few days. The healer came out of her office, always a bit alarmed when a student came looking for her. She was relieved to see that it was Bill and he appeared to be healthy.

"Hello Mr. Weasley, what can I help you with?"

"I brought you a patient. She fainted and has a huge lump on the back of her head." Madam Pomfrey hurried over to Hermione and took a look at her.

"Who is she? I don't recognize her."

"I don't either but she clearly needs help. I sent Charlie to look for Professor Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall."

"I'll take it from here, you go on to dinner." Madame Pomfrey tried to shoo him out.

"I'll stay, I feel responsible." Bill answered. He was Head Boy after all and he took that job very seriously.

"Go on to dinner Bill. You can come back later." Professor Dumbledore said from the doorway. Bill was aware that he had just been ordered away and left for dinner, vowing to check on the mystery girl as soon as he could.

After the door closed behind Bill, Professor Dumbledore walked up to the unconscious girl.

"Do you recognize her Albus?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"No I don't and I know all of our students. Is she going to be all right?"

"Give me a few minutes to examine her and I'll let you know." Madame Pomfrey closed the curtains around Hermione's bed and went about her job, checking for other wounds and placing healing spells on her head. After removing her robes, she saw the time turner around her neck. Removing that, she noticed some residual marks from a curse that the poor girl had been hit with. She healed her as best she could, knowing that sleep would be the best thing for her. Once she had her dressed in a hospital gown, she made sure she was comfortable and left her to sleep.

"Well Poppy?" Albus asked, clearly concerned and curious.

"It seems that she was hit by a curse, most likely sometime in the last hour. From the marks on her chest it seems that it was the work of a nasty bit of dark magic. I haven't seen anything like that since the days when You Know Who was in power. She's got scars across her abdomen but they look several months old and are healed. She also has a large lump on her head which I relieved with a spell. She should be fine."

"Did she have any identification?"

"None, but I did find this." Madame Pomfrey held up the time turner and handed it to Albus.

"A time turner? This could explain a lot. I wonder if she's from the past or the future? If this curse that she was hit with is in fact the work of the Dark Lord or his followers, let's hope she's from the past."

Madame Pomfrey brought her hand to her mouth in worry. "What if he's back? If she is from the future, could this mean that he's back?"

"I hope not Poppy, I hope not. Her time turner looks broken." He turned it over in his hand and tried to decide what to do. "It will be interesting to talk to the young woman when she wakes up. Keep her here and keep everyone except Mr. Weasley away from her. I don't think I need to tell you that secrecy is vital until we know more. Alert me when she wakes up."

"Of course Albus." Madame Pomfrey closed the privacy curtains again and settled in to keep a close eye on her patient. True to his word, Bill came back after dinner to find that his mystery girl was sleeping and looked to be comfortable.

"Has she woken up?" Bill asked.

"No, she's barely moved, but I expect that she's just exhausted. She'll wake in the morning I'm sure."

"I'll come back in the morning then." Bill promised again and headed out to study for his upcoming N.E.W.T.s.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All character names and places are the property of JK Rowling. This applies to Chapter One as well. **

Hermione awoke early in the morning. She lay very still trying to orient herself. She was fairly confident that she was in the hospital wing even though there were curtains up and she couldn't see much. It smelled like the hospital wing. She attempted to sit up but was met with blinding pain in her head and a wave of nausea. She groaned loudly which alerted Madame Pomfrey.

"You're awake! Thank goodness, we've been so worried." The healer said as she rushed over to fuss over Hermione.

"Is everyone all right? Harry and Ron? Were they hurt?" Hermione asked.

"Who are you talking about, dear? Nobody has been hurt except for you. Now drink this potion, it will help with the pain. You had quite a lump on your head when you were brought in last night. I'll be right back." Madame Pomfrey hurried off to alert Professor Dumbledore that the strange girl was awake.

Hermione drank the potion without question and tried to remember what had happened. She remembered waking up in the alcove and trying to find Ron and Harry. She also remembered finding Bill instead. She reached for her time turner only to find it missing. Groaning again, she started to put everything together. She had clearly come back too far and was stuck at Hogwarts before her time. At least she wouldn't have to worry about running into herself.

"Well hello there." A voice startled her out of her thoughts and she turned to see Professor Dumbledore standing by her bed. He was smiling at her and she was so relieved knowing he would believe her story.

"Professor Dumbledore! I'm so glad you are here, I don't know what happened but I think I'm in trouble."

"I wouldn't call it trouble, but I have a feeling you are in quite a predicament. Now, let's start with your name."

"I'm Hermione Granger. I'm a student here from the future; I'm guessing eight or nine years depending on what year Bill is."

"You are referring to Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked, showing no surprise or shock at her story. At her nod, he continued. "Mr. Weasley is a 7th year student. I am to assume that you know him from the future?"

"Yes, I'm a friend of his family. He wouldn't have met me yet as I'm a muggle born but his brother is one of my best friends."

"Which brother is that?"

"Ron. He's the youngest son."

"Ah, little Ron Weasley. Last I saw of him he handily beat me at a game of chess. Are you in his year?"

"Yes. I am at the end of my 6th year. Or I was. I used a time turner. Illegally, of course, and I only meant to go back a few hours. Unfortunately I was hit by a curse and now the time turner is missing." Hermione finished with a sigh.

"Well, Miss Granger, I have your time turner which appears to have been broken during your ordeal. I will have some of my contacts at the Department of Mysteries attempt to repair it so that you can get back to your time, but for now it's best that you stay here at Hogwarts."

"Yes, of course, I have no where else to go. Professor, when I left, things were not going well and I'm terribly concerned about my friends."

"I sense that there is quite a story behind this but for now I think I'll allow you time to get settled. I think you should try to attend classes and fit in as best you can. Come to my office around four this afternoon and I will hear your story." Dumbledore stood up from his chair. "I think you should assume the role of a transfer student, 6th year of course and I understand you are a Gryffindor."

"Yes, I am."

"Fine, I will arrange for some robes and clothes to be waiting for you in your dormitory as well as school books. We will just tell everyone you came from a school in America due to an illness with a family member. You can elaborate from there. As for your name, as a muggleborn you could probably use your own."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Professor." At his questioning look, Hermione continued. "I am slightly well known in my time and eventually people will wonder and might remember the name. How about I go with my middle name, Jane?"

"It's nice to meet you, Jane Granger."

"Thank you, Professor."

Madame Pomfrey came back in the room after Dumbledore left and helped Hermione get dressed. A few moments later Bill showed up.

"Oh! You're awake! Um. . . sorry, I should introduce myself. Hi, I'm Bill Weasley."

"I'm sorry for yesterday, I wasn't quite feeling myself." Hermione stuttered, having a hard time knowing what to say.

"It's not a problem at all. I'm glad you are feeling better. Do you mind if I ask your name?"

"Oh, of course. I'm Jane Granger. I'm transferring from a school in America."

"You don't sound American." Bill accused.

"No, I grew up here in England. That's why I'm back. My father isn't well so I wanted to be close to home." Hermione hated lying but the story came easily and would be quite believable.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he's better soon."

"Thank you." Hermione mumbled.

"How did you hit your head?" He asked

"I can't really remember but I think when I used the portkey into the school, I might have landed badly, hitting my head." She lied. Hoping to change the subject, she continued. "Professor Dumbledore told me I should get settled in and go to classes but I'm not sure what my schedule is, do you know where I could find Professor McGonagall?"

"Actually, I have your class schedule right here. Professor Dumbledore found me and asked me to give it to you and to walk you up to the Gryffindor tower so that you knew the way and learned the password. It's protected by a portrait of a fat lady."

"Ok, thank you." Hermione glanced down at her schedule relieved that she was familiar with all the classes. She didn't think that the curriculum would have changed much over the years and felt that she could at least appear to keep up while waiting for her time turner to be returned to her. She followed Bill out of the hospital wing and toward the familiar stairs that would take her up to her dormitory. Bill continued to talk, telling her all about Hogwarts. Hermione was only half listening. She was still trying to get a grasp on the fact that she was 8 years out of her time and the Hermione that lived in this time was only nine years old. She was impressed with Bill's knowledge of the school though and wondered if he had read Hogwarts A History a few times himself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a witch with green hair came running down the hall promptly tripping over a bag that someone had set on the floor and landing at Bill's feet. She giggled when she realized she was looking at none other than Tonks. A younger Tonks but still very much the same.

"Tonks! You've got to be more careful!" Bill scolded as he helped her to her feet.

"Wotcher Bill. Sorry about that. Have you seen Charlie?" She asked, out of breath from running.

"No, I haven't. This is Jane Granger, she's a transfer student in 6th year."

"Hi, Jane, I'm Tonks. Well, that's my last name but I like that better than Nymphadora." Tonks held out her hand to Hermione who shook it with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Tonks." She was so glad to see another familiar face, even if it was one sided.

"I've got to find Charlie. I saw him earlier but he took off too quickly for me to catch up. See you." And Tonks was off. Hermione smiled up at Bill who was smirking and shaking his head.

"She'll never learn. She's been in love with my brother Charlie since 1st year and she can't seem to get the idea that he isn't interested."

"Why isn't he interested? She's pretty." Hermione said as they continued on their way.

"She's pretty all right but he finds her completely irritating. She swears she'll never love another and he swears he'll never love her. They'll probably end up having 10 kids together." Bill chuckled.

Hermione smiled at the thought knowing full well that Tonks would love another eventually and he would be nothing like Charlie. Before she knew it they had reached the portrait and Bill gave the password. The common room looked exactly the same except for the people in it.

"Oi! Gryffindors! We've got a new 6th year. This is Jane Granger and she's transferred from a school in America. Be nice to her!" Hermione was mortified by Bill's introduction as she hated being in the spotlight. As she looked around the room, she noticed that everyone seemed friendly and were smiling at her. She was stunned to find that they were not all strangers. She recognized a very young Oliver Wood and a few of the other 1st and 2nd years. She smiled as she noticed a little boy with red hair in the corner with his nose in a book. If she wasn't mistaken it was a 2nd year Percy Weasley who was clearly not interested in the new student as he never looked her way. She turned as she was tapped on the shoulder.

"Hi, I'm Amy. I'm the 6th year prefect. Come on up and I'll show you our room." With one last look at Bill she followed Amy up the stairs. Amy was very pretty with long straight blond hair. Hermione knew that hair envy was one of her worst traits and even going into the past eight years hadn't cured that. Hermione walked into the familiar dormitory and Amy showed her to her bed. She noticed that she had a trunk full of clothes and a stack of books waiting on her bed. Professor Dumbledore had been busy. Amy was standing and looking at her and realized that she hadn't been to friendly to the girl.

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to be rude. I'm just a bit overwhelmed with coming to a new school and all." Hermione tried to explain.

"It's fine, I understand. What I really want to know is what it is like having Bill Weasley carry you in his arms?" She said with a giggle.

"Oh!" Hermione felt a blush start to creep up her cheeks at the unexpected question. "I don't remember actually. I was unconscious at the time."

"Well that's disappointing. Bill is one of the biggest catches here at school. Everyone likes him. Girls want to date him and boys want to be his friend. Even the teachers love him."

"Is he dating anyone then?" Hermione asked.

"No, not really. He dates occasionally but I don't think a single girl has ever had even a second date. He claims to be too busy with his Head Boy duties but I take the romantic route and figure he just hasn't met the right girl. He's gorgeous." Amy sighed as she dropped down on her bed. "Don't you think so?"

Hermione wasn't quite sure how to respond. This was Bill they were talking about and she'd never had romantic feelings about him. Sure she admired his good looks but he was engaged to Fleur and was off limits. "He's very good looking." She finally admitted.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Amy asked. Hermione looked up stunned. She wasn't used to all this girl talk. Lavender and Parvati had given up on her and Ginny knew better than to try to bug Hermione about boys. Nobody had asked her that question since the last family reunion when Aunt Margie told her she was getting too old and would never find a husband.

"Not really, no." Hermione answered truthfully. Ron was not her boyfriend, no matter how they felt about each other.

"Well I'm glad you are here, I can't wait to get to know you better. You seem nice enough and some of the other girls are so dull. I'm heading to breakfast want to come?"

"I'll be there soon, I want to look over my books and schedule." Hermione was glad for some time alone. She knew that going to classes and fitting in with the students wasn't what she needed to be doing. She was mentally going over timelines in her head trying to figure out what she could do to change things in the future. She had so much knowledge and she could possibly stop Voldemort from coming back. If Harry hadn't reached for the cup in the maze he wouldn't be back, but most likely he'd be finding other ways. She would have loved to have been able to stop the Potters from being killed but that had happened already and Harry was an eight year old living with his horrible relatives, already an orphan. She might be able to clear Sirius's name, stop the Order from going to the ministry and save his life. She just wasn't sure the repercussions of all of this. It was so confusing even for her. At the sound of her stomach growling she decided that she might as well eat.

She checked her schedule, grabbed the books she needed and headed down the stairs. She was really surprised to find Bill waiting for her. He was casually leaning against the wall with his book bag hanging on his shoulder. She took a moment to look at him, noticing that he hadn't changed that much over the years. His hair was shorter and he wasn't wearing his favorite fang earring but he was still the same Bill. She could see why everyone wanted to be around him, he just had a relaxed easy presence.

Bill looked up from studying his scuffed shoes to see a lovely girl headed his way. He felt responsible for her because of the way they had met but he couldn't deny that he was attracted to her. She was very different than the girls he was usually drawn to. He always went for beautiful blondes but here was a brunette who was pretty in an unconventional way. Her hair was too untamed, her features a little plain but she was still very pretty, and she was new and different. He was tired of the same girls throwing themselves at him every time he walked by. He definitely wanted to get to know Jane Granger a little better.

"Hi, I thought I would walk you down to breakfast so that you didn't get lost."

"That's sweet. Thank you. I'm sure I can find my way."

"Probably, but I'm here and I'm hungry so shall we go?"

"Sure." Hermione once again felt herself starting to blush which was completely strange as she knew that Bill would be engaged to another eight years in the future. Besides, she'd had a crush on Ron for years now, it wouldn't be right to start thinking about another Weasley.

They walked down to breakfast with Bill once again chattering away about the paintings and statues. This time she was more focused on listening and decided that he had a great love for Hogwarts. They arrived in the great hall and Hermione felt every head turn her way. New students were rare and everyone wanted a look. Bill leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Don't worry, they always do that when I walk in the room." Hermione giggled and smiled up at him. He was grinning at her and at that point she could see a bit of Fred and George in him.

Finally sitting down to eat, she found herself bombarded with questions. She answered all she could, making up answers for ones that she hadn't even thought about yet. She only hoped she could keep it all straight. As breakfast began to wind down Hermione was shocked to see another Weasley plop down in front of her with a grin on his face. It was a fifth year Charlie who was smirking, looking between her and his brother.

"So, you woke up? Last I saw, you were unconscious with a huge lump on your head. I'm Charlie. The git sitting next to you is my brother." Charlie held out a hand which Hermione shook with a smile.

"I'm Jane. It's nice to meet you."

"Tonks was looking for you." Bill told his brother with a wink.

"Ahhhh. She won't leave me alone! She needs to go find herself someone else to chase. I've got to go, I'm helping Hagrid this morning since I don't have class. He's got some new creature he wants to show me."

Hermione looked over at Bill as Charlie headed out of the hall. "This is the brother that strange girl likes?"

"Yes, can you believe it?" Bill laughed.

"Is he your only brother?" Hermione knew the answer but was trying to play her role.

"No, actually I have five brothers and one sister. I'm the oldest. Charlie is next and then Percy. He's in 2nd year, you'll probably meet him as he's a Gryffindor as well. Next are the twins, Fred and George. They will be starting here next year so I'm glad I'm getting out while I can. They are known troublemakers. My youngest brother is Ron, and then my little sister is Ginny. She's my favorite."

"Why is she your favorite?" Hermione asked.

"Because she's the only girl. She's cute and girly but also pretty tough and can hold her own with all of us. She's probably the least annoying of all of my siblings."

"That's sweet. I'm sure she's a lucky girl to have so many brothers."

"I'm not sure she'll feel that way in a few years. When she starts dating the poor fool will have to go through all of us. Nothing short of the savior of the world is going to be good enough for my Gin." Hermione started choking on her juice as she heard that. She couldn't help but grin. If only Bill knew that in eight short years, Ginny would in fact be dating the "Chosen One" who could very well save the world.

The day flew by and soon it was four o'clock. Hermione found herself standing outside of Dumbledore's office. He appeared behind her and whispered the password, ushering her in. The office looked familiar; there were only a few minor changes. Fawkes was there, looking as if he were about ready to fall over on his perch. Professor Dumbledore motioned toward a chair and sat down with a smile.

"Well, Miss Granger, how was your first day at Hogwarts?" He asked.

"Fine I suppose. I was familiar with all of the material and I made some new friends but I really need to get back to my time."

"Of course. I understand and I am prepared to hear your story. I am a little concerned about how much I want to know however. Knowing too much of the future is often a detriment. It's the opposite of knowing the past which can be a great benefit. Why don't you start with why you are so anxious to get back."

"There's a battle going on. Death Eaters found a way into Hogwarts and we weren't completely prepared. There were several students, all members of a defense society roaming the halls but the Order arrived too late and I'm afraid that there could be deaths."

Dumbledore watched her with a look of horror on his face. "Death Eaters at Hogwarts?" He shook his head in sadness. "If the Death Eaters are organized again, I suppose that can only mean that Voldemort is back?"

Hermione nodded her answer.

"And the Order that you speak of? That would be the Order of the Phoenix?"

Again Hermione nodded. "Professor, these are my friends that are fighting and I'm terrified for them."

This time it was Dumbledore's turn to nod. "I knew it was a possibility, a likelihood that Voldemort would rise again. Are you familiar with the story of Harry Potter?" He asked.

"Yes. Harry is one of my best friends. I've got to get back to him. If I can just get back to a few hours before the battle, I can send a warning to the Order and we'll be more prepared." Dumbledore continued to look at Hermione with a look of sadness on his face. "Please Professor! There is so much that I could change! If you let me tell you everything, you can stop all of this from happening and Voldemort won't have a chance to come back. I can tell you how he came back and you can stop it!" Hermione pleaded.

"Unfortunately, I fear that would change too much. It's not wise to change the past even if it is for good and noble reasons. Your original plan of going back a few hours may have worked in your favor, but telling me everything now is too dangerous. Voldemort was always very bright, even when he was known as Tom Riddle. He would have several plans to try to come back to his full power. If we stop one plan, we would just have to wait for the next."

Hermione knew that he was right. She knew that she would eventually go back only to find herself in the middle of a battle. She knew all of that but she still wanted to try. "Professor, even if you can't stop Voldemort from coming back, there is someone who lost his life protecting Harry. If I told you what happened, maybe you could prevent him from ever putting himself in danger and he'd still be alive."

"If he was protecting Harry then what would happen if he weren't there? What would happen to Harry?"

"Of course. I never thought of it like that. If only that whole incident hadn't taken place. If only we didn't go to the ministry at all. He wouldn't have gone and Harry wouldn't have lost someone else. I wouldn't have all these scars and. . . : Hermione's voice trailed off. If they hadn't gone to the ministry, the wizarding world will still be in denial about Voldemort's return and they never would have heard the prophecy. She looked up at Professor Dumbledore with tears in her eyes. "It all happened for a reason didn't it? All the pain and suffering. All the loss and nightmares and scars, they all have a reason."

"Yes, Miss Granger, they all do. You are a very bright witch you know. Most people don't figure that out until it's much too late."

"It all makes sense but there is one thing. It's about Harry. He's only eight years old right now and suffering greatly. His family is horrible. They treat him like a servant, forcing him to sleep under the stairs. Dudley is a horrid boy! You could take him from the Dursleys! I'm sure that Mrs. Weasley would take him in. She loves him and I'm sure that he'd be happy there. He'd have all those brothers!" Hermione was so excited. She really hoped she could at least do this for her friend. She owed him that much.

"I'm aware of Harry's situation. I've watched him very closely over the years. His situation is unfortunate but he must stay with the Dursleys. He is under strong protection when he is in their home. He can't touched, by Death Eaters or Voldemort. It is the best place for him. I'm glad to hear that he will re-enter the wizarding world in a few years but for now he has to remain where he is. When James and Lily were killed, there were hundreds of wizarding families who offered to adopt Harry. We had several very good options at the time. Many of the families would have been wonderful for Harry. The Weasleys applied of course. Ultimately we had no choice. Harry had to be with his family for protection. If I were to remove him now and find a new home for him, I'm sure he would be happier but he would also be in danger and you might not meet him in the future.

Hermione sat in silence, tears rolling down her face. She had nothing to say, but again she recognized that the Headmaster was correct. It was just so hard to realize that she could do nothing. Dumbledore walked around his desk and kneeled by her chair. Looking her right in the eyes he whispered, "Miss Granger, the little that you were able to tell me will make a difference I assure you. We will make sure that the Order is re-formed right away in preparation. We will support you and Harry in everything you do, knowing that eventually there will be an end to this. I doubt we can prevent the battle you were fighting in when you left but we can be stronger and better organized." He straightened up and said in a full voice. "I think you'd probably get some studies done before dinner."

Hermione knew she was being dismissed. "When can I go back, Professor?"

"It will take a few weeks at least. Settle in and enjoy yourself. You are living in a happy time, Hermione. Right now there is no threat of Voldemort, you have many freedoms, take advantage of it."

"Thank you." Hermione whispered as she walked down the stairs. She didn't feel free. She felt burdened and tired. She turned as if on auto pilot towards the stairs that would take her to Gryffindor tower. She wasn't focused on anything but her own sorrow. The realization that she couldn't really help was hard to accept even though she knew it was true. She had a few weeks before she could go back to see if her friends had survived. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even realize that Bill and Charlie were on either side of her calling her name.

"Jane?" Bill asked concerned.

"Are you all right?" Charlie asked as he touched her arm. This made her jump back to reality and she looked to find both boys staring at her. "You've been crying." Charlie said as he handed her his handkerchief.

"Thank you, Charlie." Hermione mumbled as she wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She let loose a giggle as she saw Charlie's face. "I'll wash it for you. Don't worry." She smiled.

"Yeah, great. Thanks. I'm going to go now." Charlie said as he gave his brother a wink and headed for the portrait.

"Jane? What's wrong? It isn't your father is it?"

"No, not really. I just found out I can't go home for a few weeks and I miss my family." Hermione sniffed. She sighed as she felt his arm go around her. Bill pulled her close and enveloped her in a typical Weasley hug. It was so comforting for Hermione that she relaxed right into his arms and held tight.

Bill was trying to contain his emotions. He had never felt so strongly about a girl before, especially one he had known for less than twenty-four hours. Having her close, smelling her hair, and feeling her body press against his was starting to cause a reaction that was soon to be uncomfortable. Fortunately she stepped back at just the right moment or she would have noticed.

"Thank you for the hug. I really needed that, it's been a hell of a couple of days."

"Anytime." Bill choked out. He coughed to cover his discomfort. "Are you heading to the common room?" He asked.

"I am." She replied and they continued on their way. Bill walked a few steps behind her hoping she wouldn't notice the bulge in his pants and praying he could get it under control before he saw any of his friends. Upon arriving in the common room, he mumbled an excuse and ran up to his dormitory, his bag strategically placed over his front.

Hermione settled into her favorite chair and got to work on her homework. The teachers had gone easy on her today but she still needed to keep up appearances and do a good job. In the back of her mind she wondered if she'd ever get back to her own time and wanted to make sure that she did as well as she could. The next thing she knew the common room had almost emptied and it was time for dinner. She packed up her bag, planning to take it with her so she could visit the library after dinner and stood up. Bill had been sitting in a chair by the fire waiting for her to finish. When he saw her rise, he jumped up at once, startling her.

"You're pretty jumpy aren't you?" He asked with a chuckle.

"I have reason to be." She muttered.

Bill was confused by her answer but decided to drop it. He may finally know her name but she was still a mystery. "Do you want to walk to dinner with me?"

"Sure. Thanks." Hermione wished she could tell him how nice it was to have a Weasley around. She trusted Bill completely in her time and this was no exception. She was comforted by his presence and what was easily becoming a friendship. She'd only been conscious for a day but she had friends already. Things were not as bad as they'd seemed earlier. They talked on their way to dinner and she sat down next to him and across from Amy. Bill introduced her to more of his friends and she was warmly welcomed.

The next few days passed quickly with Hermione going to classes and spending time with Bill, Amy and the other Gryffindors. She was slightly alarmed at how attached she was to Bill. She rationalized that he was a comfort to her because he was familiar and she knew she could trust him. The truth was that she was becoming attracted to him. Several times a day she had to remind herself that he was engaged to Fleur and that she was destined to be with Ron, or at least she thought she was. In the back of her mind she knew that the future could change at any time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all rights to the characters. None of it belongs to me. **

**Author's Note: I want to thank you for all the reviews. It's so rewarding to have people read and hopefully enjoy what I write.**

After classes on Friday, the students were thrilled to find that the sun was shining and the afternoon was warm. Hermione headed outside with the rest of her new classmates to soak up the sun that she craved. She headed toward the lake with a book she had borrowed from Amy and sat down against a large rock that was warm from the sun. She wasn't entirely surprised when Bill appeared at her side not too much later. 

"Hi Jane, nice afternoon isn't it."

"It really is. Some days I think I'll go crazy without a bit of sunlight."

"I know. I can't get enough of it. I think I'm going to look for a job somewhere that is sunny most of the time."

"How about Egypt?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"That might work. Mum got me an application for Gringotts though so I figure I'll be shut up in a bank somewhere if I get that job."

"You never know. I know they hire curse breakers who work all over the world."

"That would be the best! I would love a job like that." They continued to talk for another hour and it wasn't until the sun started dipping lower and the air got cool that Hermione noticed she was shivering. Bill noticed as well and put his arm around her to warm her up. She snuggled in, once again loving the feeling of comfort that he gave her. She looked up at him to thank him for being her friend when she noticed the look in his eyes. He was looking at her intently, possessive almost and her heart skipped a beat as her body reacted to that look. 

Bill reached out a hand and brushed her hair away from her face, resting his hand on her cheek and rubbing his thumb along her cheek. Hermione instinctively leaned into his hand and when he brought his face towards her she lifted her head and accepted his lips as they softly touched hers. Bill pulled back and looked into Hermione's eyes. When he noticed they were closed and that she wasn't fighting him, he leaned down to kiss her again, this time with more pressure. Hermione groaned as his hands found her back and pulled her closer to him. Her one hand found his hair while the other clutched at his robes, pulling him as close as she could get him. Bill could feel other parts of his body reacting to her and finally pulled back, panting. 

"I need a moment." He said as he looked at her puzzled expression.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." Hermione muttered as she realized what his problem was. She could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment but she also felt a bit powerful. As far as she knew, she'd never created that kind of reaction in a man before. 

"Don't apologize. It's not a bad thing, it's just an embarrassing thing." Bill said through gritted teeth. His cheeks were flaming red with humiliation. He started running through images in his head of things like his mother and slowly he got himself under control. 

Hermione started to giggle. She couldn't help it. She had just kissed Bill Weasley! She kissed Bill before she kissed Ron! The whole situation was funny and terrifying at the same time. At Bill's expression, Hermione started feeling guilty. "I'm sorry for laughing. I'm not laughing at you. It's just the whole situation. I've only known you a week and I'm kissing you. It's just not normal for me."

"It's not normal for me either. Not that I minded." He smiled at her and grabbed her hand. "I just feel like I don't want to waste any time with you. It's strange." At her nod of understanding, he kissed her quickly but tenderly. "Do you want to go to dinner?" 

"Sure, I didn't realize how late it was getting." Hermione and Bill stood up and brushed themselves off. Hermione couldn't hide her grin as Bill grabbed her hand and led her toward the castle. 

"So, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" Bill asked. "Have you been there before?"

Hermione hated lying, especially since their relationship had obviously changed but she had to keep up the act. "No, I've never been. I'd love to go with you." Bill squeezed her hand and smiled. 

They got a few looks as they walked into the Great Hall hand in hand. Several of Bill's friends were giving him sly looks and thumbs up signs while several of the girls were shooting daggers at Hermione. They ignored it and sat down across from Charlie and Amy to have their meal. Neither noticed the look of worry across Professor Dumbledore's face. 

As dinner came to a close, Professor Dumbledore approached the couple. "Miss Granger, would you mind coming with me to my office. I have an update on your father." 

"Of course Professor." Hermione stood up to go with the Headmaster as Bill gave her a worried look. "I'll see you later Bill." She said as she rubbed a hand along his shoulder and followed Dumbledore. 

Professor Dumbledore was silent as they walked towards his office and up the stairs. She took her seat and looked worried. 

"Miss Granger, I noticed that you and Mr. Weasley were holding hands. Am I to assume that your relationship has changed from mere friendship?"

"I don't know exactly. I like him a lot. We were out by the lake and we kissed. After that it just felt natural to hold his hand. We haven't talked about what this means." To say she was embarrassed talking about kissing to her headmaster was an understatement. She could feel her cheeks growing hot. 

"You have mentioned that you know Mr. Weasley in the future, would a relationship with you cause problems for him?"

"Yes, he's engaged to be married." Hermione muttered bringing her hands to cover her face as tears started to fall. "I know he's off limits, but I've never really felt this way. I thought I had feelings for his brother Ron but now I just don't know." 

"Miss Granger, I'm no stranger to heartache and I understand what you are going through but I must caution you that you have probably already gone too far. You might not change the future, but Mr. Weasley will have memories of you. Strong ones I am sure."

"Would it hurt to tell him the truth? Who I am and where I'm from?"

"I suppose that's up to you but if you continue this relationship it might be wise. If you decide to tell him, you need to be aware of what we talked about previously."

"Thank you professor." Hermione stood up and headed out the door. She wanted to be selfish and just hold on to whatever was happening between them but she had that nagging reminder of the future. As she stepped out of the alcove at the bottom of the stairs she found Bill waiting for her. As he smiled at her, she decided that for once in her life she was going to enjoy herself and her time with Bill while she had it and not worry about anyone else at the moment. She knew that she would regret it later, when it came time to leave but she would deal with that when the time came. 

"Is everything all right?" Bill asked concern in his voice. 

"It's great! My dad is better and you are here." She laughed. Hermione decided to be bold along with selfish and walked right up to Bill, pulled him down by his robes and kissed him. Bill was no fool and once he got over his shock, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with everything he had. 

"Mr. Weasley! Miss Granger!" A shrill voice interrupted them and they turned to find Professor McGonagall looking at them disapprovingly. "If you are going to snog in the hallways, at least have the decency to stand in the shadows." She gave them a wink and headed on her way. Hermione and Bill stood staring after her before they started laughing. 

"I didn't know she knew the word snog!" Bill sputtered out between laughs. 

"I knew I liked her," giggled Hermione. Bill took her hand and led her up to the common room, where they cuddled on the couch and laughed with their friends until late in the night. Amy kept giving Hermione looks and she knew that she would have to tell the girls all about Bill kissing her when she got to her dormitory. Amy wanted the scoop and for once Hermione was anxious to give it. 

The next morning was also sunny and Hermione looked forward to not only another afternoon in the warm sun but also a whole day with Bill. She got out of bed with a smile on her face that didn't dim as she showered and dressed. Amy talked non-stop trying to tell her how unusual it was for Bill to be interested in anyone and how lucky she was. It was agreed upon by all the 6th year Gryffindors that Bill was quite a catch. For the first time in her life, Hermione felt like a typical teenaged girl. Her hormones were raging and she felt silly and free. She was careful in her choice of clothes and settled on jeans and a pink lightweight jumper that she borrowed from Cathy, one of her dorm-mates. 

Bill was also feeling like a typical teenaged boy being teased by his friends. Charlie had even come to his room to smirk at him. He couldn't stop smiling. He was ready to declare his love for the girl but he had to act cool and relaxed. He didn't want his mates to know he was such a squishy mess inside. He was waiting for his "Jane" when she came down the stairs and if it was possible his grin got wider. She was smiling too and didn't hesitate to walk up to him for a morning kiss. Hand in hand they walked to breakfast talking and smiling the whole way. 

"I'm sorry I'm grinning like a fool." Bill told her as they were walking towards Hogsmeade. 

"Why be sorry? I'm grinning too. You've made me very happy Bill Weasley." Hermione replied. It wasn't like her to be so open with her feelings but she knew time with Bill was short and she had to make the most of it. Weeks of flirting and innuendo were not going to be possible. 

"You've made me happy as well. I've never felt this way Jane. It's very overwhelming." 

"I know the feeling. It's new to me as well. I've only dated one other person and it was so minor compared to this." 

"It's just nice to have someone who is smart and kind and beautiful all rolled into one package. I can enjoy looking at you and listening to you at the same time."

Hermione squeezed his hand and leaned against him. She was only going to think about the present right now and not worry about the future. They spent the day together, wandering around but really only focused on each other. Hermione remembered going into several shops but her mind was on Bill and she didn't buy a thing, even though Professor Dumbledore had given her money. They found quiet spots to sit, talk, and snog in between visiting shops and meeting up with friends. As the day came to a close, the couple walked arm in arm back towards the Hogwarts gates. 

"I want you to meet my family. My mum would love you." Bill told her. This sent a shiver of warning through her. She knew that it wasn't going to be a good idea to meet any more Weasleys. She wasn't sure how or if she would explain everything to Bill, and she wasn't sure how to handle Charlie at all. She wasn't worried about Percy considering he rarely looked up from his studies and probably hadn't even noticed she existed. She couldn't imagine meeting Ron and Ginny. 

"Moving a little fast aren't you?" She answered with a shaky laugh. 

"Well, I'm just so happy and I want to share you!"

"That's so sweet, let's give it a little time though all right?"

"Of course. Take all the time you need." They continued to walk in silence, just enjoying each other's company. Hermione returned to the common room and went right up to her room, flopping on her bed and closing the curtains. As soon as Bill mentioned meeting his family, her stomach started turning in nervousness. It would be a disaster for her to meet any more Weasleys. Bill and Charlie were bad enough. She was once again relieved that Percy hadn't bothered to acknowledge her. Her mind kept running over the conversation she'd had with Professor Dumbledore the night before. He never told her that she couldn't have a relationship with Bill but she knew he didn't fully approve. He was just trying to protect Bill from getting hurt and she understood that.

After lying there for a long time, she came to the realization that she only had two choices. She could tell Bill the truth, with the knowledge that he might hate her after that, or she could stop their relationship knowing that he would definitely hate her. She still hadn't made up her mind but she was sure she would have to do something soon. 

With a sigh, she got up to head to dinner. Bill was waiting for her and as soon as she saw his smile, her heart broke a little. She realized that she needed to act tonight for her own sanity. She forced a smile and walked over to Bill. He tried to lean in for a kiss but she turned her head away and purposefully didn't look at his face. She didn't know if it would register confusion or hurt, but she knew she didn't want to see it. 

Bill's face happened to show both expressions. At first he was confused because she'd been so willing to kiss him earlier in the day. Next he was hurt because he thought he had done something wrong. He pushed himself to think positive and decided she just didn't want to kiss him in public, in the middle of a busy common room. He put the smile back on his face and grabbed her hand as they headed to dinner. 

Hermione did her best to act normally through the meal. She laughed at Charlie's jokes and talked with Amy about what she had seen in Hogsmeade. She never really relaxed though. She had made up her mind to push Bill away. She just didn't want to do anything that would cause him problems in the future. Besides, she knew that it would be hard on herself dealing with Fleur when she got back to her time. 

After dinner, Bill tried to take her hand again but she pulled away. "Bill, we need to talk." Those simple words caused Bill's stomach to flip over. He knew something was off, he just wasn't sure what happened. He followed her into an empty classroom and sat on top of a desk. 

"I think things moved to fast with us. One minute we are friends and the next we are kissing by the lake. I've loved every minute of it but I think we need to end this before it gets any bigger."

"End this? What are you talking about? If you loved every minute of our relationship why in the world would you want to end it?" 

"Things are up in the air Bill. If something happens with my dad, I will have to leave school."

"So? Your family lives in England, it's not that large of a country, we could still see each other all the time." 

"It's no good Bill. I just want to be friends. I can't handle anything more right now. You'll understand someday." 

"I doubt that!" He yelled as he stood up to pace. "This is stupid! You can't break up with me after only twenty-four hours of dating."

"Bill, I don't want to do this. Trust me. My feelings for you are very strong. Too strong. That's the problem. I can't get involved. I'm sorry." Hermione apologized with her voice breaking on a sob. With one last teary look at Bill she ran out of the classroom and right up to her dormitory. 

Bill was stunned. He still couldn't figure out what had changed. They were fine one moment, the next it was over. He wouldn't accept that though. Bill was a determined man and he was not going to let her end this relationship. He'd give her a few days and then really turn on the charm. He wiped away the few tears that had escaped and headed to the common room, all the while thinking of ways to get Jane Granger back in his arms. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. Just the plot. **

Bill was a fairly patient man. He'd waited years to find the girl of his dreams and just because she'd stomped all over his heart didn't mean he didn't still care. He still wanted her and he was determined to get her. His strategy was clear. He would ignore the fact that she had broken up with him and be annoyingly cheerful. After she got annoyed at his relentlessness he'd make his move. 

After the big breakup on Saturday he had nursed his wounds in his bedroom. He had shut out his friends and took his anger out on his pillow and unfortunately for his hand, a stone wall. He allowed himself that one night to be miserable and made plans to wake up in the morning and start his quest. 

Sunday morning, he was in his typical spot, waiting for her to go down to breakfast. Amy was the first 6th year down that morning and she stopped and stared at Bill for a moment.

"I thought she broke up with you." She said as she glared at him. She figured he must have done something to Jane, but she wasn't talking.

"She did. I don't care." He said with confidence. Amy gave him an angry look and left.

Hermione was the last girl to come down and stopped in her tracks when she saw Bill. Surely he wasn't waiting for her. She kept her head down and headed for the door when she felt him beside her. 

"Good morning, Jane. Are you ready for breakfast?" He asked as he fell into step beside her. 

"Um, Bill? Are you all right?"

"I'm great! It's another amazing day. It's supposed to rain again, but what can you expect of England? Two sunny days are better than none. Are you going to the Quidditch game? I'm going to cheer on Charlie of course. You've never seen him play but he's a decent seeker. We could sit together if you'd like. I've got to spend some time studying for my N.E.W.T.s this evening. I've really been blowing them off." Bill continued to babble until they were settled at the table. Then he only stopped to eat. 

Charlie gave Hermione a questioning look to which she could only reply with a shrug. She had no idea what was going on. She figured she had made her point the night before and she knew that Bill was very angry and upset when he came back to Gryffindor Tower. She had no clue what turned his mood around but she found it very unsettling. She jumped up from breakfast as soon as she had finished and mumbled an excuse to get out of there. Once she was gone, Charlie turned to his brother.

"So rumor has it she broke up with you."

"She did." Bill said with a smile.

"And this puts you in a good mood?"

"I didn't break up with her. I'm not accepting her break up."

"You aren't accepting her break up? That makes no sense. Did you hit your head last night or anything?"

"No, Charlie. I didn't hit my head. I just know that I've never felt this way about a girl in my entire life and I'm not going to let her get away just because she's scared. I plan to wear her down and get her back."

"You are planning to wear her down with cheerfulness? It's bloody annoying." Charlie mumbled. 

"Yes, I'm sure it is. I'm going to go get some schoolwork done before the Quidditch match. Good luck today." Bill hopped up and whistled a tune as he left the hall. Charlie could only sit and shake his head at his goofy brother. 

Hermione did go to the Quidditch match. She had always cheered for Gryffindor and she wasn't about to stop now. She sat with Amy and her other dorm-mates as the game got underway. It was a bit unusual seeing Charlie in the seeker position but everything lately was unusual. 

"Hey, Jane." Bill said as he plopped down beside her. "Candy?" He asked as he offered her a box of Every Flavor Beans. 

"No thanks." Hermione tried not to look at him. Having him sit so close was a bit uncomfortable because she knew what it was like to have his arms around her. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw he was smiling. Smiling! Her heart was in pieces and he was sitting there acting like nothing had happened. As soon as the game was over, she jumped up and headed straight for the library. 

"Hi, Jane." Tonks said as she sat across from Hermione.

"Hi, Tonks. How are things?"

"Bloody awful. I tried to congratulate Charlie after he caught the snitch but the prat ran away from me. I need to face the facts that I'm never going to get my man." 

"Well, maybe not that man but I'm sure that you'll find someone else. Probably when you least expect it."

"That's what my mum says. It's just hard you know. Crushes are cruel."

"Yes, they are," sighed Hermione. "Love is cruel too."

"Do you love Bill?"

"I don't know. It seems like it's impossible to fall in love so quickly. I've only been here a week, but yet when I was with him it just felt so right." She ran her hand through her hair and fought back tears. 

"Why'd you break up with him then?" Tonks asked. Practically the whole school wanted the answer to that one.

"It's complicated. I might not be here at school for that long and I didn't want to get attached."

"Seems to me you already are. I've known Bill for a long time and I've never seen him like he was with you. Who knows Jane, maybe someday we'll both be Weasleys." Tonks got up to leave then, knocking over her chair in the process. "See you, Jane."

Hermione waved goodbye and thought about what she had said. Tonks wouldn't be a Weasley but Hermione probably would. If things kept on the plan she had set for herself, she'd go back to her time, start a relationship with Ron and be Mrs. Ron Weasley in a few years. When she thought of that she got a little sick to her stomach. She was afraid she'd end up with the wrong Weasley. She knew now that she would always have feelings for Bill. 

Over the next few days, Hermione grew more miserable and Bill grew more cheerful. He was positively obnoxious in his carefree attitude. Hermione was getting angrier by the moment and resorted to hiding so he wouldn't sit with her at meals or in the common room at night. It was Wednesday afternoon when he caught up with her in the hall that her anger boiled over. She dragged him into an empty classroom and glared at him.

"Bill Weasley, you are quite possibly the most annoying person I've ever met and that's saying a lot." She yelled. 

"Annoying? Me? What did I do?"

"I broke up with you! I've spent hours and hours crying over you and you sit here smiling looking like it's bloody Christmas morning! I thought I meant something to you!"

"You meant everything to me. You _mean_ everything to me." Bill's smile faded for the first time. "I don't want to let you go."

"You have to. It's too hard on me and I can't explain why." 

"Try. Try to explain. I'm not giving up until I either understand or you are back in my arms."

"This relationship moved too fast."

"Who cares? Don't you believe in love at first sight? I have never in my eighteen years felt anything for anyone else, like I feel for you. This is not some passing fling. I'm not going to let you go. We are right together. I don't care if you might have to leave school. I don't care if there is a time when we are apart. I just want to know that in the end we'll be together." Bill pleaded with her, taking her hands in his. "I only want you."

"You can't know what's going to happen. You are only eighteen and you'll do so much and go so many incredible places in your life. There is no way you could know that in say eight years you will still want to be with me."

"I really feel, with everything I am, that you are the only one for me. I may be young but I've never been considered foolish."

"Oh, Bill, don't do this." She sobbed as he gathered her in his arms. "I want to be with you too. I just don't know if it's possible."

"Don't worry about the future, Jane. Just be with me now. Let's grab what time we've got and enjoy it."

"I suppose I could do that." She mumbled into his robes. 

"Really? You'll stop worrying?" He asked as he tipped her face up towards his.

"Well, worrying is in my nature, but I'll give our relationship another shot, as long as you know the risks." 

"You are worth any risk." Bill leaned down to touch his lips to hers as she sighed into him. As he pressed his lips against hers, and pulled her tight, his heart was leaping for joy. He had done it. His plan worked and he got the girl. Now he just had to hold on to her. 

They once again walked to dinner hand in hand, smiles back on both their faces. Their friends were not surprised in the least. The only surprise was to Charlie who couldn't believe his brother's stupid plan had worked. 

They spent all their time together over the next week and a half, either studying side by side or walking hand in hand. Hermione knew time was getting short as the days ticked by. It was going to be impossible to say goodbye but she wouldn't trade her time with Bill for anything. He was everything she wanted. 

The following Friday afternoon, Hermione was leaving her last class when a terrified first year handed her a note. She was to go to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately. She went with a heavy heart knowing that it could be news of her return to her time. She had to tell Bill the truth and she had to do it right away. 

"Professor Dumbledore? Are you here?" She walked into the office which appeared to be empty. She sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and waited, trying to come up with the best way to tell Bill everything she could. 

"Good afternoon, Miss Granger." The Headmaster called as he walked into his office. "I'm sorry I was late. Peeves was causing quite a bit of trouble for Mr. Filch, which while humorous isn't entirely appropriate."

"That's all right, I don't mind waiting."

"I'm sure you are wondering what this was all about, and I won't keep you in suspense. I anticipate having your time turner repaired and back to you onMonday morning. I think it would be wise if you spent the weekend tying up any loose ends that you might have."

Hermione nodded. The lump in her throat prevented her from speaking. The Headmaster recognized this and spoke again. "Have you decided to tell Mr. Weasley the truth?" At her nod he continued. "I think that is a wise decision. Bill is a smart boy and will handle it well. He will miss you but I think that when you arrive back in your time you might find that you have a special relationship waiting for you."

"I can't expect him to wait for me." She had finally found her voice. 

"Maybe not but that's his decision. Besides, that's the wonderful thing about time turners, you won't notice the passing of time and what he does is entirely up to him."

"Would it be possible to obliviate him? To modify his memory?"

"Of course it's possible but it's not wise. The ministry generally restricts its use and Iwould not want tobe asked my reasons for performing the charm."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, quite confused. "Is it regulated?"

"It is quite regulated. It's a powerful charm and the ministry has a whole department devoted to casting memory charms on muggles. Besides, it should be Bill's decision whether or not he wants to remember and I have a feeling he will."

"Professor, do you think I could see someone before I go?"

"Who might that be?"

"Harry. I want to give him a little hope for the future."

"Harry? I'm not supposed to allow students to leave the school without an approved reason but I suppose if you were no longeran officialstudentand you managed to get to Little Whinging at the right time of day, you might be able to speak to him. I don't think I need to warn you about how much to say? He knows nothing about the wizarding world."

"I know exactly what to say and I think I can find a way to get there. Thank you professor." She wasn't surprised at all to find Bill waiting for her as she left the office. He had an uncanny ability to find her. 

"Is everything all right?"

"It's fine, Bill, thanks."

"Another update on your father?" She nodded as she wrapped her arms around him. 

"After dinner can you come somewhere with me? I need to talk to you about something important."

"I'll go anywhere with you, you know that." 

"Fine, let's go get rid of our books and take a walk before dinner then." Hermione had no choice. It was now or never.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank all my reviewers! I'd like to be able to thank a few more (hint, hint). If you review, I'll give you a gift of virtual chocolate! 


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. JK gets all the credit.**

After dinner Hermione led Bill up to the 7th floor

After dinner Hermione led Bill up to the 7th floor. "Do you know about the room of requirement?"

"Room of requirement? It doesn't exist. It's just a rumor, like the Chamber of Secrets." Bill answered.

"Well the room of requirement does in fact exist and as for the Chamber of Secrets, I can give you some info on that too. We are currently standing in front of the room of requirement." Hermione looked at Bill's amused face and continued. "See this wall here, if you walk past it three times and think of what you need, a door will appear." Hermione demonstrated as Bill watched. He was shocked to see that she was right and a door did appear. She opened it and he followed her in, looking around at a comfortable sitting room. There was a fireplace and a sofa.

"I don't believe it! This was only a legend. If only I had known about this six years ago!" Bill wandered the room in amazement.

"I wanted a place where I could talk to you without anyone bothering us. I've got something very important to tell you and I don't know how you are going to react."

"You are leaving aren't you? Going back to America?" Bill had felt something was wrong all afternoon. She was holding back on him and he could feel it.

"Yes and no. I'm leaving but not to America. I need to start at the beginning so please let me talk and then you can ask questions or get mad at me later." At his nod of agreement, she began.

"Have you ever used a time turner? They take you back in time a specific number of hours so that you can repeat memories or change mistakes. They are very powerful and are very difficult to get a hold of. Obviously, they can't just let anybody use one. When I was in 3rd year, I was given a time turner by Professor McGonagall so that I could take extra classes. I followed all the rules and when I was told not to use it again I didn't. I only used it one time outside of class use and that was for a very good cause, approved by Professor Dumbledore." She paused to take a breath and Bill took the opportunity to break in.

"What are you talking about? You weren't here in 3rd year. Is there a McGonagall in America?"

"No Bill, keep listening. I'm currently a 6th year Hogwarts student which you know, but I am from 8 years in the future. There was a battle at Hogwarts and I thought that by using the time turner I could go back a few hours and we could be more prepared. Unfortunately I was hit by a curse at the same time and the time turner spun out of control and brought me here. To you." She paused again and looked at his confused and hurt face. "It was the best mistake I could ever have made. You need to know that."

Bill stood up and walked around the room. He really didn't believe her at all. It wasn't possible that any of this could be true but he couldn't understand why she would make all this up. "Prove it!" He said with anger in his voice. "Make me believe your story. Or is this all a joke? Did Charlie put you up to this? If so it was very cruel. If this is just another excuse to break up with me . . . " He couldn't finish his sentence as he ran his hand over his face.

His anger was to be expected but she was hurt that he didn't believe her. "Your mother's name is Molly, your father is Arthur. Arthur works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department at the Ministry. Your mother is a homemaker. Your brother Ron is my best friend. His full name is Ronald Bilius Weasley and he is terrified of spiders because Fred and George turned his teddy bear into a spider when he was younger. He's obsessed with Quidditch and a master of chess. He also eats more than anyone I've ever met. Ginny is as you described, beautiful and girly yet tougher than most. She is smart and popular and wants to play professional Quidditch when she is older. Fred and George are absolutely brilliant though I would never tell them that. I spent most of my fifth year trying to get them to stop experimenting on first years."

"Your parents are members of the Order of the Phoenix which was formed when Voldemort was rising to power the first time around. Seven years ago, to you, Harry Potter lost his parents which is why everyone is so bloody relaxed thinking that Voldemort is gone. Harry Potter is my other best friend and I don't know if he's dead or alive right now. When I left, Ron, Ginny, and even you were fighting for your lives. When I go back in a few days I'm going to have to see what damage was done and if I made it worse." She was crying now and Bill's anger had disappeared. It was replaced with sorrow but he wrapped his arms around the only girl he'd ever loved and held her until her tears stopped.

"I'm so sorry Bill. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone at first because I wasn't going to get attached. Who would have thought that I'd fall in love over the course of three short weeks?"

"Who would have known?" Bill repeated. "I apologize for getting angry. I'm just shocked. This isn't an easy story to believe. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't believe it."

"I'm not lying Bill. You can even talk to Dumbldore. It's all true." Hermione whispered into Bill's chest.

"You are basically telling me that I'm losing you and it's going to be eight years before I see you again."

"That's not entirely true. I'll meet you for the first time when I am fourteen, I go to the Quidditch World Cup with your family. That's five years from now. You'll be twenty-three. We'll see each other several times after that, holidays, school breaks, family events." Hermione answered as she pulled away from him to walk toward the fire.

"Will you remember this?"

"No. Not until that night, during the battle. After that I'll remember all of this."

"Will I remember?"

"There's no reason you shouldn't, unless you let yourself forget. I'm selfish enough to want you to remember but I'm practical enough to know that feelings fade over time."

"When I meet you the first time. . . when you are fourteen, I won't be able to tell you I love you. You'll be too young. It wouldn't be appropriate."

"No, your Mum would kill you." Hermione smiled. Bill laughed at that. She was right of course.

"Don't suppose you could tell me who wins the Cup? I could make a wager or two." He asked with a grin.

"I don't think that would qualify as a good reason to use a time turner. You'll just have to wait."

"Is there anyone else in your life? Are you dating anyone back in your time?"

"Not really. I briefly date a Quidditch player in my fourth year. You should know about Ron though. I suppose I should warn you that everyone assumes that Ron and I will end up together. We've been dancing around a relationship for years. I had feelings for him, but they've faded so quickly just being with you." Hermione walked up to Bill and ran her hand along his cheek. "I don't expect you to wait for me. Eight years is a long time. You'll meet new people and . . . " Her voice faded as she thought of Fleur. She may not be a huge fan of the woman but she didn't want anyone's heart to be broken.

"And what Jane? What are you holding back? Am I married? With children?"

"Not yet. When I left, you were engaged to be married." Bill took her hands in his and kissed her palms.

"I won't be when you get back. I'll be waiting for you, I promise." He lifted her chin in his hand and wiped her tears with his thumb. Softly he brought his lips to hers and she reacted quickly, throwing her arms around him and holding him tight while their lips met over and over. "I love you Jane." Bill whispered.

"I love you too Bill."

Bill led her over to the sofa and lay over her, hands exploring her back, her hips, and teasing over her breasts. Hermione knew things were going a little farther than she was prepared for at the moment and pulled back. "Bill, wait please. Not tonight. I've got something else to tell you and I'm just not prepared." She struggled to sit up as Bill got off of her.

"I'm so sorry, I just got carried away."

"Don't apologize, it's not as if I didn't want to but you need to know a few more things and then I think you should have some time to think about everything."

"There's more?" Bill asked with a groan.

"My name isn't Jane. That's my middle name actually. My name is Hermione."

"Hermione? I like it. It fits you better. Why weren't you using your real name?"

"In my time I'm a little bit well known and I thought that it might be too confusing after meeting people here and them hearing about me later. Hermione isn't an easy name to forget."

"I know I'll never forget it. Why are you well known?"

"I told you that Harry Potter is my best friend, I assume you've heard of him."

"Of course, everyone knows about Harry Potter."

"Exactly. Everyone knows and wants to know what he does, how he does it, who his friends are and what is going on with his life. Ron and I are his best friends and by association we are well known. There have also been a few public incidents which have added to our fame. Oh and at some point a horrible writer will spread rumors about me and Harry but you have to know they aren't true. Harry is like my brother, nothing else."

"Ok, so I won't be jealous of Harry, but I probably should be jealous of Ron?"

"Yes, you should probably be jealous of Ron but nothing has ever happened between us. I admit to having feelings for him but they are nothing like what I feel for you and I know that when I get back, even if you have moved on and there's no chance for us, I will end things with Ron before they even begin. I know now that he isn't what I want."

"I'm not moving on. I will wait for you."

"That's not fair to you, I won't have to wait at all."

"It's my decision. You come find me when you are back, you'll see."

"I'll look for you first. I really do love you Bill." She snuggled up against his side as he put his arm around her.

"I really do love you Ja- I mean Hermione." They talked for a couple more hours before Bill had to do his rounds as Head Boy. He walked Hermione back to the portrait and kissed her goodnight. He had a lot to think about while he patrolled.

**Author's Note: So, I don't like to beg for reviews but I do want to mention how important they are to us writers. It's amazing to get feedback on our work, so please take a moment and review. It's painless, I promise.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot. I take no credit for the characters.**

Hermione slept restlessly if at all. Her mind re-played the conversation she'd had with Bill over and over. She tried to think if she said everything correctly. Did she get her point across? Did she assure him that she'd understand if he moved on? Did she prove that she loved him? She climbed out of bed after finally falling asleep in the early morning. She took a quick shower, did the minimum with her hair, threw on jeans and a jumper and headed out to go to breakfast. She was fully prepared to eat alone figuring that by now Bill would have thought things over and wouldn't want to be with her. She sighed in relief when she realized she was wrong.

Bill was waiting for her of course. His face lit up in a grin when he saw her come down the stairs. "Good morning my beautiful Jane!" He called out. He was rewarded with a smile lighting up her face.

"Good morning to you." She replied. "I thought you'd be done with me."

"Never." He whispered as he walked over to her. "You're mine Hermione. Always." He murmured in her ear, making her shiver. He kissed her then, a kiss full of promise and hope. "So what are your plans for today?" Bill asked.

"I need to find a way out of the school actually. I need to go see someone. I was thinking if I could get to Hogsmeade, I could floo where I needed to go."

"I can get you to Hogsmeade if you want. It's one of my Head Boy privileges. Is this something I could do with you?"

"Well you can come, but what I need to do needs to be just me. I need to talk to Harry Potter and I don't think he should see you."

"Is it even wise for you to talk to him?"

"Probably not but I know what I need to tell him and I think if I do a simple charm on my hair, I shouldn't be so easily recognizable. He's just a little boy, only eight years old. I warn you this may take a while."

"Any time with you is time well spent. Let's have breakfast first though."

After breakfast, Bill changed into muggle clothes and met Hermione by the lake. They made their way to the gates and sure enough, Bill wasn't stopped and Hermione wasn't either. She had a feeling that Professor Dumbledore knew where they were going and had made sure they were allowed to exit. As they walked toward the Hogs Head where she knew they would have an open floo, they held hands and talked. It seemed they never ran out of things to talk about. Bill pestered her with questions about what kind of job he would have and what he would look like but Hermione didn't answer directly, enjoying the little game.

They stopped in a quiet area where they were well hidden and Hermione changed her hair from bushy brown to sleek blonde. It was the hair she'd always wanted.

"What do you think?" She asked Bill as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"It's nice but it's not you. I like the brown curls." Bill answered as he step back to take a look.

"I hate my curls, I've always wanted hair like this."

"It makes you too common. There are a dozen Hogwarts' girls with hair like that. There is only one Hermione. I like being able to pick you out of a crowd." He pulled her in for a brief kiss and they continued on their way.

At the Hogs Head, they walked right to the fireplace and Bill produced a small amount of floo powder. Hermione kneeled down and put her head in the flames calling out "Arabella Figg"

"Who's there?" The woman asked, surprised to see a face in her fire.

"Mrs. Figg? I am a student at Hogwarts and I have a message for Harry Potter. It's important. Dumbledore approved it."

"Well if he approved it, come on over."

A few minutes later, Bill and Hermione were standing in the cat filled house casting cleansing charms on themselves and the carpet after getting soot all over.

"I'm Jane Granger, this is Bill Weasley. I need to speak to Harry, but I don't know what his schedule might be."

"That poor boy shouldn't have a schedule, he's only eight! You're in luck though. He'll be passing by here in about 20 minutes. He goes to the grocer every Saturday morning at 10:30. His horrible aunt makes him walk all that way by himself. Sometimes I go with him but my back's been acting up and I haven't been able to go. You wait by the side of the house and he'll walk right by. I suppose you don't want those horrible Dursleys seeing you?"

"No, I don't want them to see me."

"You wait right out there, by the rock wall."

"Thank you Mrs. Figg. Do you mind if Bill waits inside?"

"Not at all, he's a Weasley. He looks useful, he could help me move a few boxes."

"Um, sure of course." Bill replied helplessly. He gave Hermione a pitiful look and she giggled as she headed out the door and around the side. She sat on the wall and swung her legs. She was very nervous. She didn't know how jumpy Harry would be as such a little boy. She wasn't sure if he would run from a stranger and she didn't want to frighten him. After rehearsing her speech a few more times she saw a tiny little boy with messy black hair turn the corner. She jumped off the wall and walked towards him.

"Harry?"

"Yes?" He replied with a timid voice. Hermione noticed that his clothes were dirty and too large for him. His glasses were broken and he looked like he hadn't eaten in days. She felt tears well up in her eyes but fought them back, not wanting to frighten him any more.

"I'm a friend Harry and I need to tell you something. In a few years, things are going to get so much better for you. You will face things that are tougher and more dangerous than you've faced before but you will be strong because you will have friends and people who love you. Don't forget that Harry. You have people who love you right now who are quietly watching over you. Love makes you strong and it always will. These next few years with the Durlseys will be hard but eventually wonderful things will happen. I just want you to know that you aren't alone and you never have been."

"Who are you?" Harry asked, completely confused.

"I can't tell you but you just need to know that you are never alone."

Harry watched the strange girl run around the corner. He wasn't sure who she was and he figured she was probably talking to the wrong Harry, but her words were nice and he liked the idea that people loved him. With a smile on his face he walked toward the grocers, feeling stronger already.

Hermione dashed back in the house only to start laughing as she saw Bill lugging boxes from one room to the other.

"Stop laughing! You could help you know!"

"You can use magic you know! It's authorized in this house and you are of age."

"Now you tell me." He muttered as he lifted the last box. "What's in all these boxes anyway?" He asked.

"Oh, it's important stuff." Mrs. Figg answered as she fussed over the boxes making sure everything was still there. "It's nothing I can share with you but it's important. I may not be a witch but I can still help out in my own way."

"Thank you for allowing us to use your floo. It was very helpful."

"Any friend of Dumbledore is a friend of mine."

Hermione and Bill headed to the fireplace after saying goodbye and quickly were back in Hogsmeade.

"Can I buy you lunch?" He asked.

"Sure, that would be nice."

"One condition."

"What would that be?" Hermione questioned.

"I want your old hair back." Hermione laughed, reversed the charm and they headed over to the Three Broomsticks and placed their orders.

"How was Harry?" Bill asked. "I remember him as a baby, his parents would bring him over while they had the Order meetings. He and Ron shared a crib."

"Really? I can't believe your mum never said anything about that. Harry and Ron were friends from way back!"

"Yeah, but they'd never remember. Harry and his parents were put in hiding when Harry was about 8 months old."

"That's so sad. He was so tiny today. His hair was the same, dark and messy but he was so skinny and dirty. He's not being taken care of. I hope my words gave him some encouragement." She fought back tears and Bill reached across the table to take her hand.

"You did a good thing. A great thing. You gave hope to a little boy who has nothing."

"Thank you for saying that. I guess I'll know on Monday if I made any difference."

"Well, are you ready to head back? I've got a surprise for you and I need a little time to prepare."

"A surprise? Bill you don't need to do anything for me, just having you with me is enough."

"Just be ready at six. It will be special I promise."

"What should I wear?"

"Nothing." At her look of horror, he laughed. "I know you probably don't have too many choices of clothes but maybe one of the girls would let you borrow something. I want this to be a real date."

"All right. I'll be ready." They walked back to the gates when Bill remembered that he had left something at the Three Broomsticks. Hermione headed up to the dorms to get ready while Bill ran back to Hogsmeade. Bill didn't really forget anything but he figured a little lie, especially a noble one like this wouldn't hurt. He had something important to do. Probably the most important thing in his life.

Bill headed back to the Hogs Head and jumped in the fireplace. "The Burrow!" He yelled and felt the pull of the floo. "Mum! Are you home?" He yelled.

"Bill? What in the world are you doing here? What's wrong? Is it your brothers? Oh dear!" Molly was wringing her hands glancing at her clock making sure nobody was in mortal peril.

"Nothing is wrong with anyone. I just need to talk to you." He glanced around and found his younger brothers and sister staring at him. "Alone if that's all right."

"Of course dear. Fred and George go into your room, you are already being punished. Ron, take your sister outside and pick some vegetables. Try to only pick the ripe ones Ginny dear." His siblings were all smart enough to do what they were told when given a direct order from Molly Weasley, so Bill sighed in relief and took his mother into the kitchen to sit at the table.

"Mum, do you remember when you said that one day I could have Grandmum Prewett's ring to give to the girl I'm going to marry?"

"Yes, it's yours when you are ready."

"I'm ready." He watched his mother's face pale as he said those words.

"William Weasley! You are not ready to get married. You are only eighteen years old!"

"I'm not getting married right away Mum. It's going to be at least nine years at the minimum but I found the girl and I want her to have a ring."

"Is this the girl that Charlie wrote us about? He said she's very smart and pretty but really Bill you've only known her a couple of weeks."

"Mum, it doesn't matter. I know she's the one. There isn't a doubt in my mind. By the time we get married I will have known her for years and we'll be ready."

"I really don't understand. I'm quite aware that first loves can be very powerful, your father was my first love but really Bill, you haven't known her long enough. I also don't understand why you can't wait a little longer if she is really the girl for you."

"I don't have time to wait. I have to propose now but the wedding will be years and years off. Someday you'll understand. About eight years from now you'll know everything. You will love this girl, trust me, I know it. She'll be another daughter to you. Can I please have the ring?"

"If it were any of your siblings asking, I would refuse but I have never seen you quite so determined and I know you are not a fool. I'll get the ring." Molly said with a sigh. She got up and headed upstairs as Bill laughed in relief.

"Fred, George, I know you are listening." Bill yelled at his brothers. Two cheeky grins popped out from under the stairs. "I don't know how you sneak by mum. You are very talented."

"It's a gift." Agreed George.

"So who's the bird?" Fred asked as he plopped on the bench across from Bill.

"You'll know in time. I'm not giving you fools any information."

"Fine."

"We have other ways of finding things out."

"Mum's coming, got to go."

Bill chuckled at his brothers. They were talented, he wasn't lying and he was amazed at how they managed to pop around the house. He had to wonder if they didn't already know how to apparate. He wouldn't put it past them. Molly came back in the room holding a velvet box. She opened it up and let Bill take a look.

"Wow Mum! It's so pretty. I almost forgot what it looked like." It was a beautiful ring. Bill picked it up and examined the gold band with the two ribbons of gold wrapped around two diamonds.

"I charmed it so it will fit to her ring size as soon as you put it on her." Molly sniffled. She couldn't imagine that one of her children were getting engaged. "I want you to bring this girl around to meet the family as soon as possible."

"I'll do what I can. Thank you Mum. I know this is hard for you but trust me when I say that when I do get married I will be more than ready. This is going to be one long engagement. You aren't losing me yet."

"I hope not. You are a good boy and I trust your judgment. You'd better get back to school before you get caught breaking the rules."

"Bye Mum thanks again." Bill smiled and hopped back in the fireplace and was soon running back to Hogwarts to plan for his date.

**Author's Note: Thanks again for all the reviews! Keep them coming!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

Hermione was in a panic. She had never been one for dressing up but her friends were trying to help her. Her hair was up, much like she'd worn it at the Yule Ball. She had borrowed a dress from Amy and it fit her like a glove. It was black, it was tight, and it was short. It would knock Bill's socks off.

"What kind of lingerie are you wearing?" Cathy asked as they fussed with her hair.

"Lingerie? I've just got on my normal bra and knickers." Hermione chastised herself for not thinking of her under garments. She didn't normally prepare for evenings thinking that anyone would care what her underwear looked like. She didn't know how tonight would end up but she was hoping that she hadn't misread the signs and that Bill might want to go further than just snogging. Her dorm-mate Carolyn had even given her some contraceptive potion just in case.

"You can't wear those plain white cotton things!" Amy yelled, horrified at the thought. "Take that dress off and stand still."

Hermione sighed, blushed at being in her underwear in front of other people, but did what she was told. She closed her eyes and cringed as Amy pointed her wand at her. "There. Much better! Wow, you are one sexy woman!" Amy laughed.

Hermione opened her eyes, looked in the mirror, and blushed again as she saw the lacy bra that barely covered anything. Her knickers were now almost non-existent. They involved a bit of black lace, some string, and that was about it. She turned and admired the profile and decided that if she was going to make these last nights with Bill count, she might as well go for it. Pulling the dress back up, she turned to thank her new friends. She had never thought she would fit in with a group of girls. Parvati and Lavender never would have spent the evening helping her get ready for a date.

At six o'clock, Hermione descended the stairs and took Bill's breath away. He was not the only one to be dazzled by her that evening. The rest of the common room starred in shock. It wasn't the same girl they had grown used to seeing sitting with her nose in a book. Even Charlie gave her a second glance before turning to make fun of his brother in his dress robes.

Bill and Hermione ignored all the talk and walked arm and arm out of the portrait hole. They walked up to the 7th floor where Bill had prepared the Room of Requirement for their date. As Hermione walked in, she first noticed that the same couch was by the fireplace but now there was a dining table, loaded with food and candles and a curtain covering a section of the room. Bill led her in and playing the gentleman role, pulled out a chair for her to sit at the table.

"This is all so wonderful! You went to a lot of trouble."

"I really didn't go to that much trouble. This room is amazing. I imagined what I wanted and here we are."

"Did you imagine the food too?"

"No, that was the work of some of my favorite house elves. Once I learned how to sneak into the kitchens in my third year I spent a lot of time with a group of them. We play cards every once in a while."

Hermione had grimaced when he mentioned house elves but when she heard actual affection in his voice, she relaxed. "Would you say that you are actually friends with the house elves?"

"Yes, absolutely. Why do you ask?"

"Treatment of house elves is one of my pet peeves. I'm glad you hear that you respect them."

"What's not to respect? They are great!"

"I knew I loved you Bill Weasley!" Hermione laughed. They dug into their dinner and laughed and talked the entire time. Hermione tried to push it out of her mind that she would be leaving him but the shadow was there. After dinner, they moved over to the couch and sat in each other's arms. Bill was ready to propose but he was nervous as well. He didn't have any doubts but he wasn't sure as to her reaction. She was a practical girl and a smart one so he was sure she would come up with a million excuses to say no.

"Hermione, you know I love you right?" He began, clearing his throat.

"It's nice to hear. I love you too." She responded, giving him a peck on his lips.

"I've been pretending to ignore the fact that you are leaving in two days. I won't see you for five years and won't be able to touch you for eight. I understand that and I've accepted it but it doesn't mean that I like it."

"I'm sorry Bill. If there was anything I could do, I would. I don't have a choice. I have to go back."

"I know. It's still hard but I understand. I can't wait to see you again. When you are fourteen, I'll treasure every minute of our first meeting. I'll hang on every word that Ron and Ginny say about you. I'll watch over you even though you won't know it. I'll be there that night of the battle, fighting for you. I hope you can do one thing for me."

"Anything Bill, I'd do anything for you."

Bill got off of the couch and kneeled in front of her. She gave him a confused look before realization dawned on her face. "Bill, I don't. . . " She was stopped by his finger on her lips.

"Shh. Just listen. I love you. I will always love you. In eight years when you come back to me, remembering all of this, I will still love you. I will not marry anyone else; I will not fall in love with anyone else. I will wait for you. After you come back, I plan to charm you all over again and I hope that in the end, we'll be together forever. Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?"

Hermione was stunned into silence. He sounded so sure of himself. He pulled out a velvet box and opened the lid to reveal the most amazing ring she'd ever seen. She wanted to shout "Yes!" and jump into his arms but she could think of a million reasons to say no. She looked Bill right in his eyes and searched them. She saw no doubt, no wavering, only fierce love. The only reaction she could have was to nod and whisper "yes." as tears fell from her eyes. She giggled at his sigh of relief and shivered when he pulled the ring from the box and slid it on her finger.

"Perfect fit." Hermione murmured.

"Yes, it is. It was my Grandmum's ring."

"Bill, this ring will be missing for eight years, what will your mother think?"

"I'm sure she'll think it's gone forever but when it's back, on your finger, she'll be a very happy woman."

"Are you sure Bill?"

"I'm positive. You'll be a wonderful Mrs. Weasley." Bill joined her on the couch again and pulled her into his lap. Quickly, their sweet kisses turned urgent and before they knew it they were both breathing heavy and Hermione's dress was unzipped as Bill's hands boldly moved over her body.

"Come with me." Bill pleaded as he took her hand and led her off of the couch. They stepped behind the curtain that Hermione had noticed when they first came in. There was a large four poster bed in the center of the room. It was piled with blankets and pillows in cream satin. Hermione gasped when they stepped behind the curtain.

"It was probably presumptuous of me but I thought that if things were going to go this far, it should be special." Bill explained. "Not that it has to go that far. I don't want to pressure you. . . " Hermione turned to him then and reached up to put her hand on his cheek. She ran her thumb over his lips and finally pulled his head close to hers. She moved her lips over to his ear and whispered "I want you to make love to me." Bill shivered as her breath passed over his cheek. He wasn't about to let her change her mind and slowly unzipped her dress the rest of the way and let it slip from her shoulders. As the dress pooled at her feet he took in the amazing sight before him. Her curvy body was barely covered by black lace. He had never seen a real woman dressed like this. His only experience was from smuggled magazines and the occasional movie he had seen at the houses of some of his muggleborn friends. This vision in front of him was impossibly beautiful.

"Hermione," he breathed.

"It might have been presumptuous of me but I thought if things were going to go this far, I wanted it to be special." She giggled. Bill wasted no time picking her up and laying her on the large bed. His mouth found hers again and he groaned as his body's reaction grew more and more uncomfortable. He quickly undressed and lay down next to her. "Are you sure? Are you a virgin?" He asked.

"I want you to be my first and my last. I'm sure. Are you? I'm leaving in two days."

"I don't want to be a virgin for the next eight years. I'm bloody positive!" He growled as he hovered over her. Their movements were awkward as they tried to figure out how things worked but when they came together they both knew that they found bliss in each other's arms. As they were both students of knowledge they decided that practice makes perfect and in the early hours of Sunday morning they had worked out all the kinks and were moving together perfectly.

Just as the sun was beginning to shine in the castle, Hermione and Bill snuck hand in hand back into the Gryffindor tower and ran up to their rooms. Hermione sunk into her cold bed and longed for the Bill's warmth. She slept for only a few hours before jumping up to take a shower and meet Bill for breakfast. After emerging from the shower she found Amy, Carolyn and Cathy waiting for her to see how her date went. Once again she couldn't hide her grin as she slipped on her jeans and jumper.

"Well? How did it go?" Amy asked as she bounced on the bed.

"It was perfect." Hermione replied as the girls squealed around her.

"So, that potion I gave you? Did you need it?" Carolyn asked with a smirk.

Hermione blushed and smiled. "I'm not talking."

"That means yes girls. I can't believe you had sex with Bill Weasley!" Amy giggled. "Such a lucky girl." She shook her head, happy for her new friend.

"What is that?" Cathy shrieked as she caught sight of the ring. "Is that an engagement ring?" All the girls rushed over to look at the ring. "You're too young!" "You barely know him!" "You're going to marry him?"

"Calm down!" Hermione shouted. "Yes, it's an engagement ring but I'm not getting married right away. I've got to finish school first. It will be years before we get married." She explained.

"That's so romantic," sighed Amy.

"I'm leaving now for breakfast. I'll see you later." Hermione practically skipped down the stairs into the waiting arms of her fiancé. At breakfast, Charlie sat across from them talking about dragons, his favorite new obsession. At some point he noticed the ring that Hermione was wearing. His eyes got wide and he looked at his brother. "Is that Grandmum's ring?" He asked, his face showing his shock.

"It is." Bill answered.

"Does Mum know?"

"Of course she does. She let me have the ring."

"You are getting married?" Charlie still couldn't believe it.

"Someday. It will be a while but I wanted her to have my ring."

"You want to marry him?" Charlie asked Hermione, still not believing that his brother was getting married.

"Yes I do. Charlie don't worry, it's going to be years before we get married. It will be fine."

"I don't get it. At all. No offense to you Jane, you are great and all but you've only been here three weeks." Charlie stated as he got up. "I think you've both lost your minds." He stated as he turned and left the great hall.

"I'm sorry for my brother."

"Don't be. If I were sticking around, I might be concerned but he'll figure it out when he meets me again in my fourteen year old body. He'll understand."

The news of Bill Weasley and Jane Granger's engagement spread quickly across the school. Hermione caught Dumbledore giving her a sly smile but the rest of the teachers looked a bit disapproving. It didn't matter to Bill or Hermione as they finished breakfast and ran back to the room of requirement. They were determined to spend as much time as they could together. Late in the afternoon, Bill dozed in the big bed while Hermione sat by the fire writing letters. She felt that she owed explanations to friends that she'd made. She wrote to Amy, Cathy and Carolyn first, thanking them for welcoming her and being such good friends. She wrote a general letter to all the Gryffindors telling them how proud she was to be in their house and how she would miss them. Last she wrote a letter to Charlie.

_Dear Charlie, _

_As you may have heard, I had to leave school. There is an emergency back home and I will not be back. In about five years you will meet me again and things will be different. Bill will explain everything then, but don't ask him before that. I will marry your brother some day; I am not running off with your Grandmum's ring. My leaving will hurt him but he understands and knows why I must go. Please take care of your brother and when he is being hounded by your mum and bothered by his friends, stick by him. You need to know that I am not leaving him, I love him, he loves me and we will meet again. Don't think badly of me. Enjoy your last years at Hogwarts. See you in a few years._

_Jane  
_  
Bill and Hermione made love one more time in the early morning hours. She had decided to leave before anyone awoke so she wouldn't have to say goodbye to anyone in person. It may have been cowardly but she didn't want to lie over and over again in explanation. She walked back to her dorm and set the letters on her friend's bedside tables, while Bill delivered Charlie's. He met her down in the common room where she tacked the last note to the bulletin board. He took her hand and walked her to Professor Dumbledore's office where he would say goodbye. Hermione was wearing the same clothes that she had arrived in; the only addition to her wardrobe was the ring that she wore proudly.

Dumbledore was waiting for them in his office, the time turner lying on his desk. "Miss Granger, it's been a pleasure having you at Hogwarts and I look forward to seeing you again in a few years."

"Thank you for everything Professor." Hermione walked over to give him a hug, something she'd never done before.

"I'm going back to bed, I was having a lovely dream. Here is the time turner and the calculations that will take you back to when you left. I urge you to follow the instructions exactly. Mr. Weasley, you may stay here as long as you wish." With that he swept from the room, giving them privacy.

"I don't know what to say to you Bill." Hermione looked up at him with a sad smile. "It won't be that long for me but I feel so sad for you. You don't have to do this you know. You could take back the ring and move on."

"Don't be silly, that's never going to happen. I'll be fine, I'll manage. I'll see you soon. I love you Hermione."

"I love you too." With one last kiss she put the chain over her head and turned the hourglass the correct number of times. Bill watched her vanish before his eyes. He felt his knees go weak and he sunk down into a chair. He would stay there for the next few hours, not wanting to move, not wanting to do anything.

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, I had a real life for a few days! That doesn't happen very often so you won't have to wait long for the next chapter. I hope you are enjoying it. I appreciate the reviews so much, keep them coming!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. It's sad really.**

Later in the morning, Professor Dumbledore came back to his office to find Bill still sitting in the chair. He hated to see his students upset but he knew there was little he could do to help. He quietly sat down at his desk. Bill watched him, wondering when he'd be sent out. He'd already missed breakfast and his first class but he didn't seem to have the strength to move.

"Bill, I'm sure that nothing I say will help right now. Eight years is a long time but you will get through them. The only good news I can offer you is that no time has passed for Hermione. She loves you as much in her time as she did the moment she left you. Time turners are interesting things and she will likely have two sets of memories. She'll be back in her time, remembering her history as it happened, however she'll also have these three weeks of memories that will be clear and of course very real. It really is all up to you. How you handle the next eight years is all in your hands. She'll handle things whatever they are, she is a very bright witch.""I just feel lost right now.""I'm sure you do, but you'll find your way. You are excused from classes today but I think you might want to make your presence known to your friends. Your brother, in particular is very worried about you."

"Thank you Professor." Bill mumbled as he shakily got to his feet and headed out of the office. Charlie found him first at the entrance to the common room. "Oi, Bill, are you all right?""I'm just bloody fine Charlie. Never better" He growled in response."I'm sure she'll be back soon. Maybe you can invite her over the summer holidays?" Charlie was trying to be supportive but after reading the letter he was confused.

"I'll see her again. I'm not worried about that, it's just going to be hard." Bill headed to his dorm to rest. He hadn't had a lot of sleep the last two nights and he didn't want to face all the questions. The next few months were difficult for Bill. Everyone assumed that he had broken up with "Jane" but he knew the truth. She was just not here. He sat for his N.E.W.T.s and felt confident that he had done well. His job application to Gringotts was accepted and he would be training as an intern at the main bank over the summer, eventually heading out to train as a curse breaker in the fall. It seemed that things were going as planned although he felt empty inside. He celebrated the end of school with his friends and did his best to smile and laugh but it was hard.

After the end of the school term, he went home to the Burrow. He would stay at home while he worked during the summer and then when he was assigned a post as a curse breaker he would move out. His brothers and sister were thrilled to have him home and he worked hard to get back into a routine with his family. Charlie was supportive whenever anyone asked about "Jane" and he loved his brother for that. His mum had been on his case, afraid that Hermione had taken off with the ring. Bill assured her over and over that yes he was still engaged, yes he would marry her and yes the ring was fine.

He made a quick trip to see Hermione from afar one day when he was feeling particularly down. She was small and cute but she wasn't "his" Hermione. He was just glad to see her happy with her family. He made a decision not to do that again though as things were just too different and that made it very difficult for him.

Eventually people stopped asking and Bill stopped talking about it. Many of his friends assumed that he had in fact broken up with his girlfriend and tried setting him up with other girls. Bill would just tell people that he was engaged to be married and he wasn't interested.

He took the position in Egypt and was constantly reminded of Hermione's words about soaking up the sun. He had to admit that after a few weeks, he was a bit tired of the sun all the time and looked forward to holidays back in England. He worked hard over the next couple of years and settled into his new life. Every once in a while his mother would ask about "Jane" but he would just tell her to wait. He never dated and he was never tempted. He was determined to be faithful to his fiancé.

The September that Ron started Hogwarts was a very emotional time for Bill. He waited for news from his youngest brother and searched the short letters for any mention of Hermione. Towards the beginning of October a messy letter arrived from Ron telling Bill about his best friend Harry Potter and the know-it-all that wouldn't leave him alone. Apparently she was bossy and snobby. Bill smiled, getting his first glimpse of his Hermione. He heard about Ron and Harry saving her from the troll and how at the end of the term she saved them from devils snare.

When he found out that she had been petrified in her second year it was torment for him to stay away. His only assurance was that he knew that she would survive the next few years. When he heard of her recovery, he let himself cry in relief.

During her third year, he knew that the mass murderer Sirius Black had escaped and was likely after Harry. He worried about her because of their association but his hands were tied and he couldn't do anything about it. He was shocked to hear that Sirius was actually innocent and that Hermione had used her time turner to help rescue him. It was at that point that he began to contact Professor Dumbledore about plans for the Order of the Phoenix.

At the beginning of the summer when Hermione was fourteen, he received an invitation to join his family at the Quidditch World Cup. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. He would "meet" Hermione for the first time. He practiced his reaction to her, trying to imagine her as a younger sister, instead of the woman he planned to marry. He kept reminding himself that she was only fourteen and worked hard at remaining calm. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. He needed to keep the role of Ron's big brother and play that part and that part only. On the day he arrived at the Burrow, he was thrown into a flurry of activity. His brothers and sister were so excited about the World Cup. Charlie came home from Romania and they had a good time catching up. He was once again amazed at how talented the twins were, and was shocked to see his little sister so grown up. Ron talked non-stop about Harry and Hermione coming to visit. It seemed that his brother's crush was definitely in full swing and he knew he had to ignore it and let it happen. He was also a little surprised at Ginny's apparent crush on Harry, as she blushed whenever his name was mentioned. He was concerned about Charlie and his reaction to Hermione. He wasn't sure whether or not to warn him. It turns out he wouldn't have had a chance anyway.

Bill was standing in the kitchen drinking pumpkin juice and talking with Charlie and George when Ron and Ginny ran in the room with Hermione in tow. George got up to greet her and then Ron went about introducing her. Bill couldn't help but stare. She was very young and he was happy that he didn't have any urge to take her in his arms and ravish her. Pervert was not high on the list of things he wanted to become. Hermione shook his hand and Charlie's and then was off with her friends. Bill breathed out a sigh of relief and tried to stop the shaking in his hands. It was over, he had met her and it was fine. He wasn't inappropriate and she suspected nothing. His relief was short lived when he looked over at Charlie who was looking at him with wide eyes. "Bill? That girl, Hermione, she looks an awful lot like your Jane. In fact, she looks exactly like your Jane, just a little younger." He accused. "She is Jane." Bill told him quietly. "Let's talk outside." Charlie followed Bill out onto the lawn where they sat on a bench and Bill explained his story. At first Charlie didn't believe him but at the end it all made sense. "You know Ron is in love with her right?" Charlie asked.

"I know." Bill sighed. "Hermione warned me about that. I'm not going to worry about it though. I trust her and when she comes back to me, we'll deal with Ron then."

"This is just too weird. You've had sex with her! She's only fourteen!""I have not! I had sex with the seventeen year old Hermione and I was only eighteen so there's nothing wrong with that." "It's still kind of sick." Charlie laughed. "Yeah it is," agreed Bill with a laugh.

He managed to survive the World's Cup even though it was a little difficult being around her. He was in a panic after the Death Eater attack, trying to keep an eye on Hermione while working to protect the rest of his family. He hated going back to Egypt with all the unrest. He decided that he would put in a request for a desk job in London as soon as he finished some of the projects he was in the middle of.

He heard that Hermione was dating Viktor Krum which made Bill feel incredibly jealous. Hermione had never warned him about that, even though she had mentioned a past relationship. He saw a picture of her from the Yule Ball and it took his breath away. She was becoming a woman, _his_ woman, and he only had a little over two years to wait.

By the beginning of the next summer, he had transferred back to the main branch of the bank in London and was actively involved in the Order of the Phoenix. Bill and Dumbledore had private meetings, discussing what they knew about the death eater attack that was imminent. They knew that training and recruiting new members was crucial.

Hermione arrived to spend the last part of the summer at Grimmauld Place and every time Bill saw her she grew more beautiful. In less than two years she would be his again.

The year passed quickly for Bill. He now had easy access to what was going on with Hermione and knew that she placed herself in danger all the time when it came to standing up for her friends. She stood with his family at his father's bedside after he was attacked and celebrated when he was home for Christmas. She was everything he loved and it was harder and harder for him to not show her.

One afternoon at work, an amazingly beautiful woman came into his office. She had long blond flowing hair and had an aura that was welcoming and pure. Fleur was stunning and he was surprised at his attraction to her. He shocked himself by asking her out to dinner. They had a nice time but Bill made it clear that he was engaged to be married and resisted her advances. She was persistent in her flirting but Bill was strong and faithful. Eventually she gave up on using her Veela charm on him and asked him to at least be her friend. He agreed to that and introduced her to Charlie who was at once taken with the beautiful girl. They soon started dating and Bill felt that everything was going as it should be. In the back of his mind he wondered if Fleur was the girl he would have married had he not met Hermione when he did.

Time continued to pass. Voldemort was back in full power and the public knew it. Hermione had recovered from the Ministry attack and was back in school for her sixth year. The Order was on constant alert, passing information and doing their best to recruit new members. Dumbledore assured them that he was preparing Harry for what needed to be done and he knew from Ron that the D.A. continued to train. Only Bill and Dumbledore knew there would be an attack on Hogwarts. The order was strengthened and the students trained harder as the school year came closer to ending.

By the day of the attack, they were ready. The Order was in place at Hogwarts and Harry had been given instructions to alert the D.A. members that something was going to be happening.

In the end, they couldn't completely stop the attack as the death eaters also seemed to be quite prepared. The Order managed to capture several death eaters and were fortunate that the battle ended quickly. Bill stood in the quiet hallways watching as those who were wounded were helped to the hospital wing. All he could think about was finding Hermione. His search for her left him distracted and unprepared. He felt the powerful jaws of Fenrir bite into him and rip at his flesh. In his anguish, he knew he probably wouldn't live as he screamed for Hermione.

The next think he knew, he was in the hospital wing screaming in pain as Madame Pomfrey tried to help. His family was brought in and he wanted to call out for Hermione but he couldn't get the words out. Ron was hovering over his bed and he wanted to ask him to find her. He knew she must be back. She had to be. She was the only thing keeping him alive.

**Author's Note: One more chapter and it's written. I'll get it up early next week. I'm so glad you have been enjoying this. The reviews really cheer up my day. I love you all! (Oh and I have a goal to get 100 reviews. . . Can you help me?)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I claim nothing but the plot. JK owns it all.**

Hermione felt the pull through time and arrived just in time to see her crumpled body disappear. She took a moment to steady herself and glance down at her hand. Her ring was still there, it had survived the trip through time. She readied her wand and headed back into the fight, surprised to see that it was more or less over. She tripped over rubble and tried to see through the smoke as she looked for Bill. Her heart sank as she realized that she didn't actually stop the battle but it didn't look as if it was as bad as it was when she left. She made her way towards the hospital wing to check on her friends. She saw most of the Weasley family there and froze.

"What happened?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"It's Bill. He was attacked by a werewolf." Ron explained. Hermione's heart nearly stopped at his words and she felt herself pushing forward through the family to get to her fiancé. He was a mess. He had gashes across his face and shoulder. His eyes were shut tight and his face was contorted in pain.

"Is he. . . Is he going to be all right?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"He'll live." Molly told her. "He'll be all right. It's not the full moon so he won't be a full werewolf but the scars will never fully heal and he'll never look the same."

Tears were running down Hermione's face as she kneeled down next to Bill's bed. She took his hand in his and whispered in his ear. "Bill, I'm here. It's Hermione. Can you hear me?" Ron was stunned as watched her cry over his brother. Nobody was quite sure what was going on. It wasn't until Molly noticed the ring on her finger that she understood. "Oh my! It's you?" She asked.

Hermione looked up at Molly and nodded. She couldn't manage any words. Molly walked up to her and helped her stand. "Come with me for a moment dear. Let's go get a drink of water." She led Hermione into Madame Pomfrey's office and poured her a glass of water.

"Where's Fleur?" Hermione asked, finally finding her voice.

"Fleur? She's with Charlie I suppose. He's on his way here but I don't know if she's coming. Why are you asking about her?"

"Isn't she engaged to Bill?"

"No dear, you apparently are engaged to Bill."

"You mean he waited for me?"

"I think he'll tell you himself, but I think he's been waiting for this day for a very long time."

"Eight years." Hermione mumbled.

"Eight years." Molly agreed. "I expect to hear the full story very soon but I doubt I can take much more tonight. I do have a question for you."

"Of course."

"After seeing what happened, after knowing that he'll never be the same, are you still prepared to love him?"

"I will always love him. No matter what."

"That's all I needed to know. I always knew you would be a Weasley someday." The two women exchanged a hug and Hermione hurried back to Bill's side, leaving it only as Harry and Ginny came in with the horrible news of their headmaster.

Charlie and Fleur appeared a little while later to find a subdued group. They were mourning the loss of Professor Dumbledore and their grief was apparent. Charlie noticed Hermione sitting at Bill's side and smiled. Finally, she was back. He caught his mother's eye and she gave a nod of understanding. He knew that the rest of the family was still in the dark as everyone kept giving Hermione questioning glances.

"Hermione?" Charlie called quietly as he walked over toward the bed. She looked up and saw Charlie smiling at her.

"Hi Charlie." She smiled back.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure." Hermione reluctantly left Bill's side and followed Charlie into the hallway.

"It's good to see you Jane."

"It's good to see you too Charlie." She gave a weak laugh. "You've changed a lot since yesterday."

"Yes, I imagine I have. It looks like Mum figured it out already."

"Well, she doesn't know the whole story yet but she saw the ring. I think she'll understand."

"And Ron?"

"I haven't actually gotten around to talking to him yet. I wanted to talk to Bill first. To find out if there was even a reason to tell him."

"You don't think he waited for you?" Charlie asked with a touch of anger in his voice.

"I don't know! Eight years have passed for him." Tears started forming in her eyes.

"Hermione, Bill will tell you himself but yes, he waited. Every day was torture for him, but he waited. He loves you more than I thought was possible. I hope you won't hurt him."

"I'd never hurt him Charlie. Not again. He understood why I had to leave. I hope you do as well."

"I do understand and I'm sorry for snapping at you. I guess I just wanted to make sure that you hadn't changed your mind."

"It's been two hours since I kissed him goodbye in Dumbledore's office. Love doesn't go away that quickly."

Charlie pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. It's just an emotional night. I'm glad you are back. I'm glad you'll be my sister-in-law."

"Thank you. I'm glad too. I'm going back to Bill now." Hermione kissed Charlie on the cheek and went right back to her post at Bill's side.

The school was quiet; the only sound was the hushed murmured voices in the hospital wing. Hermione refused to leave Bill and wouldn't explain. Her friends were unsure of why she was suddenly so devoted. It was early in the morning when Ron and Harry managed to get Hermione back to the common room so she could shower and change clothes. Ginny promised to sit with Bill until she got back.

"Hermione?" Bill croaked as he started to wake up.

"No Bill, it's Ginny." She took his hand and moved closer. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I've been attacked by a werewolf." His voice was weak, but the pain wasn't as bad.

"That's exactly how you should feel. Now do you want to explain why you asked for Hermione? Why she hasn't left your side and why she's wearing Grandmum Prewett's ring?"

"It's a very long story."

"Give me the short version Big Brother."

"She's Jane. My fiancé. Hermione Jane Granger."

"She's Jane? The girl you've been pining over all these years? Hermione is Jane?" Ginny's voice rose an octave as she got more and more excited. "How is that possible?"

"She used a time turner. She wanted to go back a few hours to stop the battle. Instead she was hit with a curse and she came to me."

"You've waited for her all these years? That's so romantic." Ginny sighed.

Bill tried to laugh at his sister but it hurt and instead he held her hand tighter. "Ron's not going to like this. Please help him through."

"I'll try. I always knew Hermione would be a Weasley but I never expected you'd be the one she'd marry. Does anyone else know?"

"Charlie. He knew her as Jane and realized it the first time he met her as Hermione."

"Wow. What a story." Ginny mumbled as a freshly clothed Hermione came back in the room. Ginny ran up and threw her arms around her. "I'm so happy for you! I can't wait for you to be my sister." With that she hurried out of the room, anxious for her own shower.

Hermione walked tentatively up to Bill's bed. His eyes were open and he was watching her. "Hi Bill."

"Hi Hermione." She sat beside him and took his hand.

"Do you still want me?" She asked bluntly. If he were going to hurt her she'd rather get it over with.

"More than anything in this life. I've loved you for forever." Bill lifted his hand and rubbed it against her cheek. It was all so familiar having her back at his side. "Do you still want me? Especially now with all of this." He gestured to his wounds.

"I will want you forever. No matter what. I'm just sorry you aren't well enough for me to drag you up to the Room of Requirement right now." She laughed.

"You're only seventeen, I think that's illegal." He teased. "I can't believe you are here. It's been so long. For me anyway. I have been waiting for this day since the second you left."

"Why did you wait for me? You didn't have to."

"I made a promise to you. It was very easy to keep. Every other girl paled in comparison."

"Bill, I didn't know. . . I had no idea that this would happen to you. I would have warned you, I could have stopped it." Hermione cried.

"Shhh, don't cry. You aren't to blame. I was distracted and unprepared. I'm going to be fine, just not as pretty."

Hermione laughed in response and leaned over to kiss his forehead. "Your mother seemed to take this all well. She saw the ring."

"She's a strong woman and she loves you. If you were a stranger it might be different."

"What are we going to tell Ron?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. It's going to be hard."

"It's going to be hard on all of them. I'm surprised Ginny took it so well.

"What's going to be hard? What did Ginny take so well?" A voice called from the doorway. "I'm not stupid. What's going on with you all of a sudden?" Ron stood there, looking at his brother and his longtime crush. There was something going on between them that he didn't like or understand. He'd never seen them together like this before so he couldn't understand how they could look so in love all of a sudden.

He sat down in a chair as Hermione and Bill told their story. Bill explained that he never wanted to hurt Ron and Hermione tried to convince him that she still cared for him and loved him, but like a sister.

"So, all this time, you've been flirting with me and you've been in love with my brother?" Ron yelled out.

"No! I would never have done that to you. I did have feelings for you, strong ones. I love you, I do, but not like I love Bill. You have to understand that a few hours ago to you is actually three weeks ago for me."

"It's not that easy to understand Hermione."

"I know, but you will. I need you to. You are one of the most important people in my life and we need each other. We can't get through what we have to do if this is going to hang between us."

"I'll try. I just need time." Ron left hurt and angry but he made a promise to both of them that he would just need time to think and would be fine. Hermione was never his after all, Bill did nothing wrong.

Harry worked through it all in his own quiet way. Through the processing he finally came to the conclusion that the young woman who had said such kind things to him all those years ago was Hermione. When he asked her about it, she stammered her way through an explanation.

"Hermione stop. Don't explain. What you said to me meant more to me than anything in my life at that point. You were my angel, giving me hope. I've clung to those words my entire life. I never would have even survived my first year if I hadn't had your words repeating in the back of my mind. Thank you." They hugged and cried and Hermione was glad she had taken the chance to see him when she did.

The rest of the family took it all in stride, knowing that Hermione made Bill happy and that happiness was helping him get better. Hermione spent the summer at the Burrow, helping him recover. She was determined to follow Madame Pomfrey's instructions exactly. His scars healed better than they expected and throughout the summer, he grew stronger. One day late in summer, a few days before Fleur and Charlie's wedding; Bill took Hermione to Shell Cottage.

"Oh Bill, it's beautiful. Who does it belong to?"

"It's ours. It's our home if that's all right with you."

"It's perfect!" She spun around and gently kissed his lips. Bill's injuries prevented much intimacy between them but it didn't matter to either of them, as just holding hands was enough at the moment.

"I want you to live here, with me after you finish your schooling. We can plan the wedding. You'll be eighteen soon and you can spend weekends here."

"I want nothing more but I'm not going back to school, I told you that." Hermione had told him of her plans to go with Ron and Harry, but not why. That was something that she couldn't tell him yet.

"Is it really necessary? I want to know you are safe."

"You know that all signs point to me not being allowed at Hogwarts anyway. I'm a muggleborn and I have very few rights. What Harry, Ron, and I have to do can change everything. I have to go. I can't abandon them. Not now, after all we've been through together."

Bill knew that he had to let her go. She promised to come back to him and he knew she made good on her promises. They left during Fleur and Charlie's wedding and he threw himself into work and research for the Order. This separation was worse than the one before because this one was dangerous and Bill had no clue as to the future.

When he was reunited with her at Shell Cottage they snuck away to be together, just thrilled to be back in each other's arms. He fought for her, alongside the rest of his family at the Battle of Hogwarts. It was after the battle, after Harry had saved the world, after they had mourned the loss of Fred and their friends, that Bill proposed to Hermione once again.

They were married in the spring in a quiet ceremony at the Burrow. After the reception, Bill apparated Hermione to Hogsmeade where they ran up to the gates of Hogwarts. Headmistress McGonagall gave them a stern look and told them she was breaking the rules for them. After letting them in she gave them a wink as they ran up the stairs to the Room of Requirement where they spent their honeymoon in a four poster bed with cream satin sheets.

**Author's Note: Well, that's all folks. I really enjoyed writing this. It was originally written for the Cliche Challenge over at Granger Enchanted. It was fun to write and I'm pleased with how it turned out. I can't thank you enough for reviewing. Seriously. For those of you who write, you understand the thrill of knowing that someone read your work, let alone took the time to comment. I appreciate each and every one of you. Oh and if at least 3 of you review, I'll hit my 100 review goal! Thanks so much. Virtual ice cream for every one!**


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